Poem Responses

The Passionate Shepherd to His Love

This poem describes a man's attempt to seduce his love by promising her all that the world's beauty has to offer. He describes how they "will sit upon the rocks, seeing the shepherds feed their flocks" (424). He paints a picture for her filled with fragrant smells, beautiful scenery and flowers, warm and gorgeous clothing made from lamb's wool, and other of nature's finest gifts. He describes this scene in the beautiful and plentiful month of May when these flowers will be at full bloom. He says "If these delights thy mind may move, then live with me and be my love" to swoon her (425).

Although this shepherd's words seem to be sincere and the poem is dedicated to "his love" I can't help but notice that all of his promises involve wealth and materialistic things. He asks her if she is delighted by these things that he has promised, and if she is, will she live with him. But, despite the beauty described in his words, he is still trying to buy his love.

The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd

This poem show a whole new point of view to the first poem. The Nymph is not fooled by the Shepherd's empty promises, though, she would love him if she thought it could last. She says,"But could youth last and love still breed, had no joys no date nor age no need, then these delights my mind might move to live with thee and be thy love" (439). She is not swept off her feet by the Shepherd's poetic words, but instead, keeps her head and points out the reality of the dream he has created for the two of them. Instead of describing May, like the Shepherd, she points out "a honey tongue, a heart of gall, is fancy's spring, but sorrow's fall" (438), revealing the truth of the death and ruin of nature that accompanies the change of seasons.




I found it interesting that these two poems were written by different poets. I think they show a glass half-empty, glass half-full kind of comparison, in which the Shepherd really does mean every word he says, but he does not think of the reality of his dream. The flowers will not flourish forever, the world does not stay young, healthy, and abundant every day of every year. The Shepherd is not taking into account the struggles and troubles the two lovers would have to go through while loving each other. The Nymph, however pessimistic or cynical she may appear, is being realistic. She is seeing beyond the promises of her love to realize that if all he can offer her is wealth and a bunch of broken promises, their love would not be able to withstand or survive a change in tides.

Personally, I found The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd to be the better of the two poems. I did not think it was necessarily better written, because I thought Marlowe's version was beautifully composed and created amazing imagery. However, I call myself a realist, so I relate more to the Nymph's side. She is level-headed and realizes the potential heartbreak and strife she will have to go through if she gets caught up in the life the Shepherd has described.



To His Coy Mistress

I enjoyed reading this poem. I took the words at the beginning of the poem to be those of one who is truly in love. Later on, however, I discovered that I believe the poet to be in lust rather than in love. He described every inch of the lady's body and and described something called "vegetable love" which I have never heard. However, he then talks about aging and "time's winged chariot hurrying near" (427). These lines made me believe that he would not love this woman as much once she began to lose her beauty due to the onset of time. "Thy beauty shall no more be found" (427) reveals these thoughts. He focuses on how they will be rotting in the ground and how "worms shall try that long preserved virginity" (427). I think the poem, although, somewhat disappointing reveals remarkable honesty and for that it is something to take note of.