ASPECTS OF LOVE IN THE RENAISSANCE

The Passionate Shepherd to His Love

And

The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd

5-MINUTE WARM UP

In writing pastoral poetry the words must

be selected for musical quality as well as

meaning.

While reading a poem by Christopher

Marlowe, my glasses slipped down my

nose.

ANSWERS:

In writing pastoral poetry one must

select the words for musical quality as well

as meaning.

While I was reading a poem by

Christopher Marlowe, my glasses slipped

down my nose.

IMAGINING PARADISE

Think of a beautiful place.

Create a web, with the place name in

the middle and words and phrases

surrounding it that best describe the

images you associate with that place..

IMAGINING PARADISE

Which of your images do you consider

realistic?

Which would you describe as

romantic or idealized?

PASTORALS

Poems presenting shepherds in the country, usually

idealized.

Used in the Renaissance to convey thought and

feelings about love, among other subjects.

And we will sit upon the rocks,

Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks.

Note examples of pastoral life as you read. Cite line

numbers.

IN YOUR NOTES:

Cite examples of pastoral life quote and line #

Compare and contrast the two speakers’

perspectives on love.• Choice of words when addressing the other in the

poem.• Evidence of each speaker’s motivation.• Each speaker’s attitude about life.

THE PASSIONATE SHEPHERD TO HIS LOVE

What overall picture of rural life is conveyed by

this poem?

Find examples of alliteration in lines 17-20.

What is being emphasized by the use of alliteration

there?

THE NYMPH’S REPLY TO THE SHEPHERD

What does line 2 imply about the nymph’s attitude toward

Marlowe’s shepherd?

Refer to your notes on Marlowe’s poem. What do the

speakers imply about their feelings toward the idea of love?

Find examples of alliteration in lines 9-12. Discuss the

meaning of the emphasis.

Which aspect of the ideal rural life does the nymph rebut

here?

WRAPPING IT UP

How would you describe the nymph’s attitude toward life?

Do you agree with the nymph’s reasons for not accepting

the shepherd’s offer? Why or why not?

On the basis of the first and last stanzas, what do you think

might convince the nymph to accept the shepherd’s offer?

Looking at your notes, what is the debate between the two

speakers of these poems all about : which of the two

speakers’ attitudes is closer to your own?

HOMEWORK OPTION NUMBER 1

Writing: Write a modern parody of “The Passionate Shepherd

to His Love.” In place of the shepherd, substitute a person with

a different job, and select an appropriate setting. Before you

begin, identify the rhyme scheme of the poem and describe the

rhythm (pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables). Use this

same scheme in your parody. ALSO, develop a tone that is

appropriate for the speaker. Your poem should also refer to

some of the items the speaker would use in his or her job.

OPTION NUMBER 2

Using contemporary English and modern

references, but expressing the same sentiments and

ideas as those in the two poems, write a script with a

partner of a modern phone conversation in which the

shepherd tries to persuade the nymph to accept his

offer. Then act it out for us on Friday.

OPTION 3FOR ADVANCED SKETCH ARTISTS ONLY

Create a single drawing or painting that depicts

the contrasting scenes described in the two poems.

THIS OPTION BY PERMISSION OF THE

TEACHER, ONLY!

INFORMAL ASSESSMENT: PASTORALS

Pastoral poems can be analyzed in he areas of

tone, setting, characterization, language devices,

and musical/tonal qualities.

List aspects of each quality and cite examples from

“The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” and “The

Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd.”

Write a definition of pastoral poems using at least

four of the qualities listed here and giving examples

from the poems.