Marvell From an Alegorical Asp

“The Picture of little T.C. in a Prospect of Flowers” depicts several seemingly unrelated events, which are drawn together by an underlying allegory. In the beginning of the poem T.C., a beautiful young woman, is found at the morning of her life in a bed of flowers. Next T.C. is described conquering men with her chaste charms. As the poem progresses, Marvell brings himself in to the poem and hints towards its …

…for men to live by. T.C. does not have a monopoly of power in the poem, she is first on earth but lower than God. T.C. is given great responsibilities and she has high expectations to live up to. “The picture of little T.C.” takes the reader throughout the progression of human civilization and depicts T.C. as a Christ-like figure who fixes the wrong that humans have spread on the earth.