Pastoral PoetryPastoral Poetry

““Pastoral” (from pastor, Latin for “shepherd”) Pastoral” (from pastor, Latin for “shepherd”) refers to a literary work dealing with refers to a literary work dealing with shepherds and rustic life.shepherds and rustic life.

Pastoral poetry is highly conventionalized; it Pastoral poetry is highly conventionalized; it presents an idealized rather than realistic presents an idealized rather than realistic view of rustic life.view of rustic life.

Common TopicsCommon Topics

Love and seductionLove and seduction The value of poetryThe value of poetry Death and mourningDeath and mourning The corruption of the city or court vs the “purity” of The corruption of the city or court vs the “purity” of

idealized country lifeidealized country life Politics (shepherds critique society or easily Politics (shepherds critique society or easily

identifiable political figures)identifiable political figures) Eclogues (a dialogue between two shepherds)Eclogues (a dialogue between two shepherds)

Pastoral ElegyPastoral Elegy

Expresses the poet’s grief at the loss of a Expresses the poet’s grief at the loss of a friend or important personfriend or important person

Praise for the dead shepherdPraise for the dead shepherd Effects of death upon natureEffects of death upon nature The poet’s acceptance of the inevitability of The poet’s acceptance of the inevitability of

death and the hope for immortalitydeath and the hope for immortality

Famous Pastoral PoetryFamous Pastoral Poetry

Christopher Marlowe’s “A Passionate Christopher Marlowe’s “A Passionate Shepherd to His Love”Shepherd to His Love”

Sir Walter Raleigh’s “The Nymph’s Reply to Sir Walter Raleigh’s “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd”the Shepherd”

The Passionate Shepherd to His The Passionate Shepherd to His LoveLove

Carpe diem and immediate gratification of their Carpe diem and immediate gratification of their sexual passionssexual passions

Love in the countryside will be like a return to the Love in the countryside will be like a return to the Garden of EdenGarden of Eden

There is a tradition that our problems are caused There is a tradition that our problems are caused by having too many restrictions by societyby having too many restrictions by society

If we get away from these rules, we can return to If we get away from these rules, we can return to the pristine condition of happinessthe pristine condition of happiness

If the nymph would go a maying with the If the nymph would go a maying with the shepherd, they would have the perfect life!shepherd, they would have the perfect life!

In quatrainsIn quatrains Iambic tetrameterIambic tetrameter The shepherd invites his love to experience The shepherd invites his love to experience

the joys of naturethe joys of nature He hopes to return with the nymph to an He hopes to return with the nymph to an

Edenic life of free love in natureEdenic life of free love in nature

The Nymph’s Reply to the ShepherdThe Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd

Raleigh argues that because time flies, we Raleigh argues that because time flies, we should not seize the dayshould not seize the day

There could be consequences to their roll in There could be consequences to their roll in the grassthe grass

Time does not stand still; winter inevitably Time does not stand still; winter inevitably follows spring; therefore,we cannot act on follows spring; therefore,we cannot act on impulses until we have examined the impulses until we have examined the consequencesconsequences

The nymph reverses his imagesThe nymph reverses his images

Rocks grow coldRocks grow cold Fields yield to the harvestFields yield to the harvest The flocks re driven to fold in winterThe flocks re driven to fold in winter Rivers rageRivers rage Birds complainBirds complain Free love is impossibleFree love is impossible The seasons pass as does timeThe seasons pass as does time Nymphs grow old, and shepherds grow coldNymphs grow old, and shepherds grow cold