Symbol Analysis
No, we don't mean the kind you put on your door at Christmas time. The wreaths in this poem are actually more like crowns, and they're heavily associated with ambition. That kind of drive has no place in "The Garden" though, something Marvell makes very clear when he speaks of the wreaths and the accomplishments they represent as being "short and narrow verged." Wreaths, being in the shape of circles, are also typically associated with eternal life. Marvell casts that notion aside too, though, and instead focuses on how the trees that make up the wreathes, cut off from their natural life source, will wither and die.
- Line 2: When Marvell mentions "the palm, the oak, or bays" he's referring to crowns or wreaths made out of branches from these kinds of tree. Crowns of this sort are usually seen as tokens of honor, but for Marvell they are more like shackles that keep men chained to society and away from the outside world. The tradition of handing out these crowns carries over from ancient Greece and Rome, two cultures that will definitely appear again in this poem, so keep an eye out or check out our section on "Classical Mythology."
- Line 8: The "garlands of repose" that the speaker enjoys are meant to be seen as a contrast to the wreaths of public recognition in line 2. Unlike the "uncessant labours" of men, which produce nothing but short-term recognition, the speaker's investment in nature and his own mind is both relaxing and long-lasting.