To his Coy One
The poem is a dialogue between the speaker and his coy beloved, who is reluctant to surrender her heart. The speaker uses various arguments and metaphors to persuade her to love him, but she remains elusive and unresponsive. He describes their relationship as a game of cat and mouse, where he is the pursuer and she is the pursued.
By Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe · First published 1773 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Pastoral · 68 words
First lines
SEEST thou yon smiling Orange? Upon the tree still hangs it; Already March bath vanish'd, And new-born flow'rs are shooting. I draw nigh to the tree then, And there I say: Oh Orange, Thou ripe and juicy Orange, Thou sweet and luscious Orange, I shake the tree, I shake it, Oh fall into my lap!
What this Textopian page supports
To his Coy One is listed on Textopian as a poem by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, dated 1773 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
- Date: 1773 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Pastoral, Seduction Poetry, Imagery
- Length: 68 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for To his Coy One by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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- Translation Of A Romaic Love Song by Lord Byron
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — The work is characterized by its focus on personal emotions and sensory experiences, typical of lyric poetry.
- Romanticism — The themes of nature, desire, and individual emotion align with the principles of Romanticism.
- Pastoral — The imagery of nature and the simplicity of rural life reflect pastoral elements.
- Seduction Poetry — The poem explores themes of seduction and desire, central to this sub-genre.
Tags
Poem · Elegy · Love Poem · Romantic Poetry · German Literature · 18th Century Literature · Courtly Love · Unrequited Love · Pleasure and Pain · Sensuality · Feminine Mystique · Male Perspective