Throughout the poems “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell and “The Rights of Woman” by Anna Letitia Barbauld, violence is used in a contrasting manner. Marvell uses violence to manipulate his mistress into a position of helplessness, while Barbauld uses it to incite rebellion against such a power structure. Although violence is not the main thematic concern in the majority of both works, it plays a vital role in the development of the storyline. and helps convey the authors’ messages. In Marvell's work, the speaker describes a timeless love that is not reciprocated. Barbauld, as the title suggests, challenges the role of women in ambitious and powerful ways. In both plays, violence becomes evident when the speakers use different types of diction while emphasizing the juxtaposition of similar-sounding words. Violence and love are often the result of intense passion, and this is no exception in Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress." The speaker is clearly infatuated with a woman, the subject of the poem, and he believes that these feelings should be reciprocated. This is clearly expressed when the speaker states: “For, madam, you deserve this state, and neither would I at a lower rate.” But behind me I still hear the winged chariot of Time rushing (19-22). In this, the speaker means to convey his devotion to this woman. He fears, however, that his tendency toward shyness will not allow them to be together before the “winged chariot” (22) takes him to the afterlife. Although the speaker believes his affection is eternal, stating that "nor would I love at a lower rate", he fears that time will not allow them to be together, unless she eliminates this part of his personality. This point is emphasized in middle of paper......differences based on gender do not matter because mutual love makes all differences equal. Marvell, through his poem To His Coy Mistress, approaches violence in a slightly different way. The speaker uses the threat of violence as a last resort to convince his timid mistress to sleep with him. Although both poems use violence, they begin and end at opposite ends of the spectrum. Barbauld begins with violence and ends with love, Marvell follows the same path, but in the opposite direction. Works CitedBarbauld, Anna Letitia. “Women’s Rights”. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. The main authors Ninth ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: WW Norton & Company, 2012. 1444. Print. Marvell, Andrew. “To his shy mistress.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. The main authors Ninth ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: WW Norton & Company, 2012. 751. Print.