Pastoral Poetry

Egyptian Poetry

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

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

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.

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.

Three Egyptian Poems

• • • • • • “Your Love, Dear Man, Is as Lovely to Me” “I Think I’ll 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.

“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.

“I Think I’ll 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.

“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” with her love.

– pleasant place to walk Speaker in poem is a bird-catcher.

Egyptian poetry was often sung to accompaniment of harps, lutes, and other string instruments.