Preview

The Passionate Shepherd to His Love and the Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd: Differing Ideas of Love

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
533 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Passionate Shepherd to His Love and the Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd: Differing Ideas of Love
The shepherd in Christopher Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" and the nymph in "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd" by Sir Walter Raleigh, have very differing ideas of love. Though both speakers have taken different paths down the journey of love, they both are very exaggerated. I like the Raleigh’s poem, due to the fact that she wants more then just beautiful things. The shepherd uses the beauty of nature to describe his love for the nymph, while the nymph uses nature's impermanence to describe how their love would eventually die. The question is if the love is real or superficial, and also if it’s everlasting true love. The idea that love or infatuation is so strong that it can take man’s emotion and lust to blind him and tool him into believing it’s love is a terrifying thought. Marlowe’s first proposal only offers experiences that can be shown or felt by either lust or lies. He figures he can use his honey-sweet talk, to win her over, then never be held accountable for his promises. The shepherd next moves to complimenting her beauty and by speaking of “coral clasps and amber studs”(line 18), which of course can’t compare to her. Speaking only of gifts that are beautiful alludes to his fascination with her own beauty. Material gifts that can only be used and remembered in the physical world, are sadly ignored by Marlowe, but recognized by Raleigh. Never commenting on anything that is found with in his heart, but only speaking of skin-deep gifts justifies Raleigh’s anger in “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherds.” 
 What can you expect if it is only skin-deep and not true love. Recognizing that the Shepherd’s love only remained true with youth, Raleigh asks “But could youth last and love still breed”(line 21). The Nymphs response understands it is only her beauty that had captured his heart. A beauty that will soon disappear as her youth does. They nymph knows that all Marlowe’s words will end when her beauty does, forces Raleigh to refuse the offer
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Ap English Poetry Comparative Essay
    • 675 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Ap English Poetry Comparative Essay

    The collection of texts presented in this essay depicts an underlying theme of love. The texts have been examined and explored in order to note the similarities or differences in various categories. To compare two texts by the length of their stanza would be to diminish the value of its words; indeed a comparison of texts must come from the connotation.…

    • 675 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    How Is Love Presented in Romeo and Juliet and Two Poems from the Shakespeare Literary Heritage
    • 1214 Words
    • 5 Pages

    How Is Love Presented in Romeo and Juliet and Two Poems from the Shakespeare Literary Heritage

    How is Love presented in Romeo and Juliet and two poems from the Shakespeare Literary Heritage…

    • 1214 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Shakespeare Use Language and Dramatic Techniques to Present Love in ‘Othello’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’? Essay Example
    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages

    How Does Shakespeare Use Language and Dramatic Techniques to Present Love in ‘Othello’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’? Essay Example

    ‘Othello’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ were both written by Shakespeare between the 1590’s and the 1600’s; both were plays to excite and please the audience of the Elizabethan era with the theme of love and conflict. Shakespeare presents love in various ways; since love is complex, there are many forms of it: sexual, platonic, medieval courtly, familial, romantic and destructive love. With so many forms, Shakespeare is able to present love as both passionate and volatile to entertain the Elizabethan audience…

    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Love In A Midsummer Night's Dream Essay
    • 989 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Love In A Midsummer Night's Dream Essay

    As Helena says, "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind" (1.1.234) whereas in the play, most of the relationships of love is seen with the eyes rather than their minds. The characters don’t realize what reason they are falling in love with and only see what they want to see. William Shakespeare writes and demonstrates the effect of love through the character's eyes in his play A Midsummer Night's Dream. Shakespeare establishes the illusion of love through the relationships between Lysander & Hermia, Demetrius & Helena, and Bottom & Titania.…

    • 989 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Comparison and Contrast of Sappho’s Poems with Egyptian Love Poems
    • 1050 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Comparison and Contrast of Sappho’s Poems with Egyptian Love Poems

    The ideas of love in the Egyptian love poems are almost similar to Sappho’s idea of love, but there is a difference in the way they approach it. In the Egyptian love poem, love is portrayed more erotic and passionate and the reader sees things from both the male and female’s point of view while in Sappho’s poetry, love is more romantic and passionate and talks more about the deeper feelings of the characters. Egyptian love poems idea of love is more about every form of love, whereas love for Sappho is based purely more on an emotional view of love.…

    • 1050 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Desiree's baby vs. The Lady with the Pet Dog
    • 774 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Desiree's baby vs. The Lady with the Pet Dog

    The short stories called Desiree’s Baby by Kate Chopin and The Lady with the Pet Dog by Anton Chekhov both contain the theme of love but it is told in different ways for each short stories. As deep as both stories go, it is possible to see that the each author wrote about love but in opposite ways. Although the short stories show resemblances as far as how the men’s love for their lady make them dictate the tone of the relationship, it is evident that Anton Chekhov wants to show how love can suddenly appear while Kate Chopin tries to demonstrate how love may instantly disappear.…

    • 774 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Significance of Gender in Romeo and Juliet
    • 1333 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Significance of Gender in Romeo and Juliet

    One of the first moments in the play where Romeo’s non-normative attitude towards love is addressed directly is when Mercutio, in Act 2 Scene 4, reflects on Romeo and Rosaline. “Why, is not this better now than groaning for love? /…

    • 1333 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Piety: Pan and the Nymphs
    • 1644 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Piety: Pan and the Nymphs

    In ancient Greece, Pan, a goat-legged youth, was worshipped as a god, mainly in the countryside by shepherds and herdsmen. Pan was chiefly known as a protector, or as a “flock-keeping” god. The Athenians were under the impression that they were aided by Pan during the Persian wars, so after the wars, they established a precinct dedicated to him underneath the acropolis, in a cave (Herodotus p. 133). Although Pan was seen as a god, he was still in an inferior position to the Olympian gods, and thus was worshipped with different types of dedications and rituals. Pan was worshipped in caves, where it was believed he lived with the nymphs, who were seen as goddess-like but still inferior to the Olympian goddesses. Pan represented a form of Greek religion that was very much private and personal, whereas the well-known and worshipped Olympian gods were worshipped by an entire polis. The Olympians were given dedicated visually-pleasing or large scale monumental temples, and often had animal sacrifices dedicated to them by communities, while Pan and the nymphs were honored with natural sanctuaries and votive offerings, usually made by individuals or smaller groups of families. Despite the different methods used in worshipping and types of dedications, piety was equally present throughout all of the rituals and offerings made to both the Olympians and to the lesser gods.…

    • 1644 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Comparison Essay: the Passionate Shepherd, Song, My Papas Waltz
    • 2031 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Comparison Essay: the Passionate Shepherd, Song, My Papas Waltz

    In recent discussions of love and hate, a controversial issue has been presented: can true love conquer all adversity? On one hand, some argue that love has its limitation. From this perspective, many will claim that familial love cannot conquer a violent home with a violent father. On the other hand, however, others argue that love can conquer any obstacle that appears in a relationship, whether material or natural. In the words of one of this view’s main proponents, “Come live with me and be my love, and we will all the pleasures prove that valleys, groves, hills, and fields, woods, or steepy mountain yields (Marlowe 777).” According to this view, love is enough to move mountains. In sum, this issue is whether love can conquer all adversity or if love has its limitations that cannot be overcome.…

    • 2031 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Langston Hughes Synthesis
    • 705 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Langston Hughes Synthesis

    Introduction: Love is often regarded as an emotion that invokes extreme joy, hope and excitement. For example, Romeo and Juliet were a young couple who were so excited and hopeful about their love that they were willing to do anything to be together. However, there is another side to the feeling we call love that isn't so joyous. The other, darker side of love is expressed by three Langston Hughes poem which show us the heart-break, the abandonment and the desperation associated with falling in love.…

    • 705 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Similarities Between Romeo And Juliet And A Midsummer Night's Dream
    • 1315 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Similarities Between Romeo And Juliet And A Midsummer Night's Dream

    Love is one of the most perplexing manifestations in human existence and artists have long debated over what it is and what it means to them. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, love is seen through a tragic lens, ending in suicide. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, love is a folly and used to evoke laughter. However, some of the notions of love presented in either play tend to coincide, as in Friar Lawrence’s speech in Act 2, Scene 6 and Lysander’s lines in Act 1, Scene 1. Each speech features rhetoric used to create imagery about love usually representing light in the darkness. The Friar’s words are used to caution Romeo on the violence of his passion, and hint at his dark conclusion. Lysander’s words on the other…

    • 1315 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Comparing Act 1 Scene 5 Of William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet
    • 466 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Comparing Act 1 Scene 5 Of William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

    What does this mean? The kind of love Romeo showed towards Rosaline and Juliet was nothing but pure lust from looking upon a beautiful young woman. I am confident, Romeo would have moved his affection to a different person if his eye caught the sight of another lovely beautiful young woman. Today, when we call a man a Romeo, it is known that that man is a player, he is someone who sweeps women off their feet, and quickly moves on to the next beautiful woman. It may be unfair to say this is how Romeo was; however, his actions of falling head over heels for two beautiful women in a matter of days is hardly love, it is loving by sight, it is lust, it is typically short-lived and dangerous. Romeo’s definition of love was what a woman looked like; it was not true heartfelt…

    • 466 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Different Types of Love in Romeo and Juliet
    • 1204 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Different Types of Love in Romeo and Juliet

    The theme of superficial love is firstly discussed through Romeo’s unreciprocated affections for Rosaline. After being approached by Benvolio to find out the cause of his grievances, Romeo reveals that ‘(he does) love a woman’ but ‘she will not stay the siege of loving terms’ and reciprocate his feelings for her. ‘With tears augmenting the fresh morning’s dew’, Romeo mopes over Rosaline’s decline of his romantic advances towards her for she ‘hath forsworn to love’. He only emphasizes on her physical attractiveness through the repetition of the word ‘beauty’ but does not delve further to appreciate Rosaline as a person. Romeo harbours a superficial infatuation for Rosaline because ‘she is rich in beauty’ and thus fancies only her physical appearances, but is insincere in getting to know Rosaline despite proclaiming his ‘love’ for her. Another superficial implication of love lies in Lady Capulet’s disposition of love through appearance and as a materialistic property. In convincing Juliet to marry Paris, she speaks favourably of ‘young Paris’ face’ and finds ‘delight writ there with beauty’s pen’. She wishes for Juliet to marry Paris solely for his looks since her believe of love reaps from appearance and is without regards to emotion. When speaking to Juliet about ‘(liking) of Paris’ love’, she declares that ‘by having him’, Juliet ‘shall share all that he doth possess’ and derive possession from marriage. Lady Capulet implies that marriage will secure material possession and benefits for Juliet, like ‘that in gold clasps locks in…

    • 1204 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Poetry analysis on "How Do I Love Thee" and "Sonnet XVIII"
    • 817 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Poetry analysis on "How Do I Love Thee" and "Sonnet XVIII"

    Both, Elizabeth Barrett Browning 's "How Do I Love Thee" and William Shakespeare 's "Sonnet XVIII," explore the universal theme of eternal, transcending love. Similarly, both sonnets are confessions of love towards a male subject. Browning 's is a passionate love; one that the Greeks referred to as eros. "Eros is Love, who overpowers the mind, and tames the spirit in the breasts of both gods and men ." Shakespeare 's, however, is the love of agape. It is the love one feels for his family, and friends . In dealing with the theme of love, both poems reference the beauty of their emotions, and the everlasting nature of such beauty.…

    • 817 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Passionate Shepherd Essay
    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Passionate Shepherd Essay

    The three poems, “The Passionate Shepherd to his Love,” “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd,” and “Raleigh Was Right” speak about the same place, although in completely different perspective upon the world and nature. Firstly, Christopher Marlowe’s shepherd takes on a purely romantic view upon this world, believing that nature will provide for both the shepherd and his love. Secondly, Sir Walter Raleigh takes Marlowe’s idea and develops it into a more realistic approach upon nature, explaining how things never really last forever. Lastly, William Carlos Williams works off of both poems, further developing them to talk about a world in which nature cannot provide any protection against war. Altogether, these three poems talk about a world vastly different from one another, both of the latter poets working off Marlowe’s idea and changing it to meet their own viewpoint.…

    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics