Shepard And The Nymph

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorHigh School, 11th grade February 2008

download word file, 4 pages 0.0

Downloaded 11 times

The Shepard and the Nymph The two poems "The Passionate Shepard to His Love" by Christopher Marlowe and "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepard" by Sir Walter Ralegh have something in common. Both of these poems contend with the topic of love. In the instance that both poems were untitled it would be simple to see that one poem is an addition to the other. When reading the two poems it is obvious that the first poem is a man propositioning a woman and the other is the response to the first poem. This is also indicated by the titles of the two.

Though both of these poems describe love, the difference between the two is that each one has a different perspective about falling in love and what happens after the wooing is over. The first poem is a very bright, happy explanation of love. It is almost an unrealistic view.

The second poem is a more down to earth idea of love.

In the first poem Christopher Marlowe writes as though he is propositioning a woman. In this poem love is proposed as a fairytale story. He claims to be able to give her all that her heart desires. He claims to have gold and riches. He tells her that if she would be his wife she could have a comfortable worry free life. This poem gives out a very bright sunny feeling. The poet uses beautiful, wide and airy images such as "…all the pleasures prove/That valleys, groves, hills, and fields, /Woods, or steepy mountain yields (lines 2-4)". This gives off a feeling of freedom and freshness. He also uses romantic images such as "…I will make thee beds of roses/And a thousand fragrant posies (line 9and 10)". He promises her "Fair lined slippers for the cold/With...