Pastoral Poetry

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Pastoral Poetry

• Egyptian Poetry

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Objectives

• To understand how the theme of love spans the
  ages
• To appreciate concrete language
• To infer the dramatic context
• To understand pastoral poetry
• To appreciate diction

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Pastoral Poetry

• The term pastoral comes from the Latin word for
  shepherd pastor.
• Deals with pleasures of a simple rural life
• Treats the longings and desires of simple people
• Allows readers to forget stresses and to daydream
  of simplicity and love

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Pastoral Poetry

• Written by sophisticated artists who assume
  persona of a simple character.
• Considered escapist literature that allows highly
  civilized readers to experience vicariously what
  they imagine to be the free and untroubled life
  of ordinary folk.

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Setting of Egyptian Poetry

• The New Kingdom (1570-1085 B.C.)
• Great eruption of ancient Egyptian culture
• Egyptian empire reached to Euphrates River.
• Women enjoyed greater prestige than other ancient
  cultures.
• - legal status equal to that of man.

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Three Egyptian Poems

• Your Love, Dear Man, Is as Lovely to Me
• I Think Ill Go Home and Lie Very Still
• The Voice of the Swallow, Flittering, Calls to
  Me
• Written by skillful poets cultured men
• All translated by John L. Foster.
• In each, poet assumes a simpler persona.

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Your Love, Dear Man, Is as Lovely to Me

• Female character expresses longing and devotion
• Employs simple, direct language.
• Poet uses concrete images oil, ritual robes,
  and incense.
• Poem is both timeless and rooted in a specific
  time and place.

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I Think Ill Go Home and Lie Very Still

• Poem contains elements of humor and irony.
• Poet appeals to senses of touch, taste, sight,
  and smell.
• Concrete language related the love to sensations
  that are universally understandable.

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The Voice of the Swallow, Flittering, Calls to
Me

• Setting There is a narrow strip of fertile land
  on either side of the Nile River.
• -- Contrast between this narrow strip and barren
  land beyond is quite dramatic.
• -- Nileside pathways pleasant place to walk
  with her love.
• Speaker in poem is a bird-catcher.
• Egyptian poetry was often sung to accompaniment
  of harps, lutes, and other string instruments.