Echoes as Evidence in the Poetry of Andrew Marvell

Marvell, writes Annabel Patterson, “had a habit of borrowing other men’s words.” The identification of Marvellian allusions has often provided evidential support for factual and critical judgments in editions of the poetry over the years. Such echoes have also been used to bolster biographical and interpretive claims about the poet’s connections and the circles in which he moved. This essay looks at the evidential uses of allusion in the editing and criticism of Marvell, and explores the extent to which such usage might benefit from greater reflective attention than it has recently received.