The Passionate Shepherd to His Love – Christopher Marlowe

Who is the poet of "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love"?

Christopher Marlowe.

What era is "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" associated with?

Renaissance/Elizabethan Era (1564–1593).

When was "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" written and published?

Written before Marlowe’s death in 1593; published posthumously in 1599.

What type of poem is "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love"?

A lyric pastoral poem.

What is the main appeal of the speaker in the poem?

The shepherd appeals to his love with idyllic and romanticized descriptions of rural life.

List the poetic structure of "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love".

The poem consists of six quatrains (four-line stanzas).

What meter is used in the poem?

Iambic tetrameter (four iambic feet per line).

What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

AABB (rhyming couplets).

What does the poem's structure reflect about the shepherd's views?

The consistent structure and regular rhyme scheme reflect his unwavering romantic idealism.

Identify a major theme of the poem.

Idealized love.

What idealized view does the shepherd portray about nature?

Nature is portrayed as a paradise and an endless source of pleasure.

How does the shepherd's focus on material gifts relate to love?

It hints at a superficial understanding of love.

What is the tone of the poem?

Persuasive, romantic, and idealistic.

Name a literary device used in the poem that creates sensory appeal.

Imagery.

Give an example of hyperbole found in the poem.

The promise of 'a thousand fragrant posies'.

What classical tradition does the poem connect to?

The pastoral tradition associated with classical works by Theocritus and Virgil.

What is a repeated phrase in the poem that reinforces the shepherd's plea?

"Come live with me and be my love."

What does symbolism in the poem suggest?

Natural images symbolize the fleeting pleasures of life and love.