English 12: British Literature and Composition Pastoral Poetry Notes Standards: ELABLRL1 – The student demonstrates comprehension by identifying evidence (i.e., examples of diction, imagery, point of view, figurative language, symbolism, plot events, main ideas, and characteristics) in poetry and uses this evidence as the basis for interpretation. ELABLRL3 - The student deepens understanding of literary works by relating them to their contemporary context or historical background, as well as to works from other time periods. Bloom’s Taxonomy Levels: Knowing and Understanding Pastoral poetry depicts country life in idyllic, idealized terms. The term pastoral derives from the Latin word that means shepherd, and originally, pastorals were about rural life, shepherds, and nymphs (minor divinities of nature in classical mythology represented as beautiful maidens dwelling in the mountains, forests, trees, and waters). Pastoral poetry contains the following elements: Idealized setting In pastoral poems, the environment of rural life is idealized--time is always spring or summer; shepherds are young and enjoy a life of song and love; and the sheep seem to take care of themselves. Mood Renaissance poets did not use the pastoral form to accurately and realistically portray rustic life but to convey their own emotions and ideas about life and love. The mood of the poem is the overall feeling that the poem evokes, or causes in the reader. Tone Tone is the attitude the speaker takes toward his or her subject. Dialogue Though these two poems are by different authors, they function as a pair with the two speakers talking directly to one another. Responding to Marlowe’s poem, Raleigh pretends to take each of the shepherd’s idealized promises about pastoral life literally and then allows the nymph to prove each promise to be empty or incapable of fulfillment due to the harsh reality of rural life. .