The carpe diem theme is central to which pair of poems?

• A. Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and "The Road Not Taken"
• B. Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" and Herrick's "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time"
• C. Blake's "Songs of Innocence" and "The Tyger"
• D. Shelley's "Ozymandias" and "To a Skylark"

Answer: (B)

Carpe diem means seizing the day and living fully in the present before time runs out. The pair that best fits this idea is the one where both poems press readers to act now rather than delay. In To His Coy Mistress, the speaker argues that time is always advancing and that delaying love would be pointless if there were unlimited time; the persuasive drive is to embrace the moment and pursue desire now. In To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time, the poet urges young people to gather their opportunities while they can, because youth fades and time slips away. Together, these poems center the urge to live boldly and act promptly, which is why this pair is the best match for the carpe diem theme. The other pairs focus on different concerns—Frost’s poems explore duty and choices, Blake’s songs probe innocence and experience, and Shelley’s odes reflect on fame, imagination, or mortality rather than urging immediate, life-affirming action.