English 101
Poetry Assignment 2019
KIRSTIN PILLAY (219006273)
, Bucolic tradition in poetry can be defined as poetry that portrays rural and
shepherd lifestyles as idyllic, wholesome, and modest. This type of poetry
contrasts the simple life of living in the countryside to the complexity of
city living. The countryside is usually depicted in a positive light as
opposed to the city, described as evil and corrupt, and an environment from
which people wish to escape. This essay will examine the pastoral, anti-
pastoral, and post-pastoral in English poetry.
The “return and retreat “definition of the pastoral in poetry is exemplified in
C Marlowe’s “The Passionate Shepherd to his love.” This definition focuses
on returning to nature, the countryside, and the longing for the simple
things in life and withdrawing from modern, city dwelling. In the poem, the
poet writes about a city man trying to persuade his lover to come and live
with him and experience rural life and the wonders of nature with him. In
stanza 1 and 2, he describes an idyllic life,” hills and valleys” (line 3),
watching shepherds herd their flock,” And see the shepherds feed their
flock “(line 6), rivers and waterfalls,” By shallow rivers, to whose falls”
(line 7) and harmonious birdsong,” Melodious birds sing madrigals” (line
8). The image of paradise is created to entice the man’s lover to lead this
kind of lifestyle with him. In addition to this, the imagery constructs the
picture of a magnificent, varied terrain for the couple to enjoy if they decide
to reside together. “Hills and valleys “(line 3) is a binary opposite and
further illustrates this point. In stanza three, there is an isotopy of flowers.
“There I will make thee beds of roses.” (line 9). This means that when
living in the countryside he will ensure that they live comfortably without
any worries, this also ties in with the easiness of living in the countryside.
“A cap of flowers and a kirtle Embroider’d all with leaves of myrtle “(lines
11 and 12); the man expresses that he will make clothing for his lover from
floral material such as kirtle and myrtle, this expands on the floral isotopy
and emphasizes the pastoral theme in the poem as well as the fruitfulness
and overabundance of resources in the countryside. In lines 13 and 14, “A
gown made of the finest wool Which from our pretty lambs we pull.”. This
quote illustrates subsistence farming and living off the land, which is
typical of rural living. The man promises to make his love a gown from the
wool of the flock that was being tended to in stanza 2, the symbolism of a
lamb is innocence and purity, which are characteristics of the pastoral in
this poem. In line 22,” For thy delight, each May-morning, “highlights the
celebration of the beginning of Spring by the rural communities as it
signifies harvest time. Enjambment is used throughout the poem to
emphasise the leisurely rural lifestyle. The reiteration of the ‘L’ sound
within the poem, such as “falls,” “Melodious,” and “madrigals,” add to the
image of peacefulness that is present in the countryside. This illustrates
how “The Passionate Shepherd to his love “by C. Marlowe exemplifies the
“return and retreat” definition of the pastoral in poetry.
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