The Sacredness of Sex

While reading the literary works, a common theme comes to mind. The idea of sex and the importance of it to one’s lifestyle is brought up along with the idea of physical love. The poems and short story each touch upon the issue in a different manner.
In the poem “To His Coy Mistress”, the speaker is insisting to his mistress that they finalize their connection by engaging in sex. He continues to bring up the issue of time and how they are lacking in it. The speaker is extremely persistent and rather disrespectful towards her by continuously trying to get her to do something she clearly is not comfortable doing. Though it could be simply a test for her to ensure her loyalty as a potential wife, he should value her initial decision of abstaining from having sex with him. However, it seems unlikely this is a way of ensuring her faithfulness because he says “Now would I love at lower rate.” This seems as if he does not truly love her in the way a man should before a woman has sex with him. By the end, he appears as though he is angered by her decision going on to say that she will never partake in this revered action and die still a virgin.
While reading Edna Millay’s poem, “I, Being Born a Woman and Distressed”, the reader understands what a woman would feel if she was to have sex with a man not her husband. The speaker of this poem gives the woman point of view of the thoughts and feelings that would come upon a woman in her position. It seems as if she has given in to desire and has had sex with a man without being married to him. She now continues to have sex, yet now the man she shared this with leaves her.
The short story, “The Gilded Six-Bits”, first shows true love between Missy Mae and Joe. They have a weekly ritual which really seems to mean a lot to both of them. Ironically, it is sex that comes between what seems like this extremely happy couple. Missy Mae has apparently fallen to the schemes of another man playing off to be rich. She sees his gold coins and gives in and has sex with him. This is so disappointing because they originally seemed like the perfect couple. They were happy and young and completely head over heels. However, by the end, after having a baby, they become connected once again. One of the most important lines in the story is when Joe’s mom tells him that the baby looks just like him. This comforted Joe’s uneasiness about the possibility of the baby being Sellmon’s. By the end, they go back to their ritual signifying their reconciliation and real love for each other.
It is clear that each of these literary pieces, “To His Coy Mistress”, “I, Being Born a Woman and Distressed”, and “The Gilded Six-Bits”, all have the connection of the sacredness of sex. During the time these pieces were written sex was something extremely important and a woman’s virginity was one of the most essential qualities she could have when looking for a husband.