Pastoral Themes and Motifs in Literature
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Jerusalem 1:
Pastoral ideas
Saturday, 28 September 2024
Saturday, 28 September 2024
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
The Greek
God Pan
rules in
Arcadia
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
The Pastoral
The genre celebrates simplicity in life and
seeks the unsophisticated – often wishing to
be removed from modernity in an urban
setting.
Post WW1: Georgian movement in English
poetry
Virgil : Eclogues as introducing the idea of a
Golden Age
Voltaire: Candide: “Let our garden grow”
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Other common themes
Nostalgia
for a past which is idealised.
Refuge
from modernity
Seeking
Lost Innocence
Transience and Decay
Contrast between
retreat
and modern
“civilised”
society
Journey
as a metaphor: we return from
the retreat as a wiser and better person.
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Critical voices:
Roger Sales: 5 Rs
Refuge, Reflection, Return, Requiem,
Reconstruction
Lawrence Lerner: “Pastoral is the poetry of
illusion: the Golden Age is the historiography
of wish-fulfilment.”
A
historiography
is a summary of the historical writings on a particular topic -
the history of the slave trade, or the history of the French Revolution, for
example. It sets out in broad terms the range of debate and approaches to
the topic.
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Motifs
The Golden Age
Presented as an idea by Virgil (Eclogue 4 and
Aeneid 6) as part of the propaganda surrounding
Augustus’ rule following decades of civil war.
Presented centuries earlier as the lost age of man,
now replaced 5 ages later by Iron in the writing of
Hesiod. Hence
transience and decay.
Pastoral
dreams of recapturing the “sun-
drenched” world of childhood, often resulting in
overly romanticised writings.
The Golden Age is lost.
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Et in arcadia ego
Arcadia: central Peloponnese, home of God
PAN.
Becomes a generic term for idyllic rural retreat
Will contain seeds of decay in man’s
presence
“I am/was even in Arcadia…” Either a wistful
looking back at a better time OR a warning
that death lurks even in beauty.
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Poussin 1594-1665
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
The Garden
Eden: Pre-Lapsarian state of
Innocence
in
which Adam and Eve flourish and live a life of
blameless sex and gardening.
The snake is already there, suggesting some
form of predetermined battle between
Innocence and Experience.
Is often presented through a mist of regret
and of longing to return to the Innocent state.
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Character
thoughts
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Rooster as PAN
Undoubted God of his glade?
Attractive to “nymphs”?
Lord of Riot and Misrule
Despite powers, is not in ultimate control.
Defeated by TROY, if not by the council
(the ending is left open)
TASK: discover instances of Johnny as a
PAN-like character.
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Innocents?
Phaedra: name of ill-omen links her to
Ancient Greece. Name means “bright” in
Ancient Greek. Will die accused of an
incestuous relationship with Hippolytus,
her son with Theseus.
Sings Blake’s Jerusalem at the opening of
the play.
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Anti and Post Pastoral
Not all Pastoral reflects unstinting praise on
rural way of life.
Blake’s Jerusalem suggests the evil
encroachment of the “Dark Satanic Mills”
onto a rural idyll. Hearks back to a “time
before”
Task: Research Blake and Jerusalem and
develop ideas for this being the name of the
play and the effect of such intertextuality.
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
“…the natural world can no
longer be constructed as “a
land of dreams”, but is in fact
a bleak battle for survival
without divine purpose…”
Terry Gifford
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
The Anti Pastoral
Seen clearly from 18
th
Century
Poets like Stephen Duck and John Clare
present reality and social criticism in place
of simplistic rural idylls.
“And every village owns its tyrants now./
And parish-slaves must live as parish kings
allow.”
John Clare, The Village Minstrel
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Reality bites: TASK
For your wider reading look at these poets and
authors and consider the relevance of their view of
the pastoral and Nature:
Ted Hughes
John Clare
Seamus Heaney, especially early poems
William Blake – Songs of Innocence and
Experience
Thomas Hardy.
Present your findings to the group.
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
POST PASTORAL
Aware of the development of “Pastoral” as a
pejorative term
Rise of “Ecocriticism” demands reading with
an awareness of the environmental impact of
actions.
Effect of the migration from countryside to
urban centres and the growth of Rural
weekenders.
CRITIC WATCH: Lawrence Buell
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
No longer about Humans…
In the Pastoral paradigm we considered the
human condition against the backdrop of a rural
retreat. We emerge enlightened.
“Now, we have as much an interest in the welfare
of Arden as in that of its exiled inhabitants, as
much interest in their interaction with Arden as in
what they take back from it, as much interest in
how they represent their interaction with it as in
how their representation of themselves as
inhabitant have changed.”
Terry Gifford: Pastoral
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Gifford’s Post Pastoral checklist
1.
Awe in respect to Nature
2.
A recognition of a continuing cycle of
birth/death or construction/destruction
3.
Recognition of the inner human nature being
understood in relation to the outer workings of
nature.
4.
Move from “nature as culture” towards “culture
as nature”- all returns to earth in the end
5.
Developing consciousness breed conscience
6.
Exploitation of the planet is mirrored in human
exploitation of gender and race.
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
As we read
Keep a check list of Pastoral, Anti and Post to
help you fit the play into a genre.
Consider this statement as well:
Satyr plays
were an ancient Greek form of
tragicomedy, similar in spirit to the bawdy
satire of burlesque. They featured choruses
of
satyrs
, were based on Greek mythology,
and were rife with mock drunkenness, brazen
sexuality (including phallic props), pranks,
sight gags, and general merriment.
Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Delve into the world of pastoral literature, where simplicity, nostalgia, and the search for lost innocence prevail. Discover how authors like Virgil, Voltaire, and modern critics explore themes of the Golden Age, Arcadia, and the contrast between rural retreats and urban society. Uncover the timeless motifs of transience, decay, and the yearning for a bygone era, all wrapped in the essence of pastoral poetry.
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Presentation Transcript
Jerusalem 1: Pastoral ideas Saturday, 28 September 2024 Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
The Greek God Pan rules in Arcadia Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
The Pastoral The genre celebrates simplicity in life and seeks the unsophisticated often wishing to be removed from modernity in an urban setting. Post WW1: Georgian movement in English poetry Virgil : Eclogues as introducing the idea of a Golden Age Voltaire: Candide: Let our garden grow Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Other common themes Nostalgia for a past which is idealised. Refuge from modernity Seeking Lost Innocence Transience and Decay Contrast between retreat and modern civilised society Journey as a metaphor: we return from the retreat as a wiser and better person. Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Critical voices: Roger Sales: 5 Rs Refuge, Reflection, Return, Requiem, Reconstruction Lawrence Lerner: Pastoral is the poetry of illusion: the Golden Age is the historiography of wish-fulfilment. A historiography is a summary of the historical writings on a particular topic - the history of the slave trade, or the history of the French Revolution, for example. It sets out in broad terms the range of debate and approaches to the topic. Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Motifs The Golden Age Presented as an idea by Virgil (Eclogue 4 and Aeneid 6) as part of the propaganda surrounding Augustus rule following decades of civil war. Presented centuries earlier as the lost age of man, now replaced 5 ages later by Iron in the writing of Hesiod. Hence transience and decay. Pastoral dreams of recapturing the sun- drenched world of childhood, often resulting in overly romanticised writings. The Golden Age is lost. Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Et in arcadia ego Arcadia: central Peloponnese, home of God PAN. Becomes a generic term for idyllic rural retreat Will contain seeds of decay in man s presence I am/was even in Arcadia Either a wistful looking back at a better time OR a warning that death lurks even in beauty. Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Poussin 1594-1665 Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
The Garden Eden: Pre-Lapsarian state of Innocence in which Adam and Eve flourish and live a life of blameless sex and gardening. The snake is already there, suggesting some form of predetermined battle between Innocence and Experience. Is often presented through a mist of regret and of longing to return to the Innocent state. Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Rustic music Companion of nymphs riot PAN fertility spring Character thoughts Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Rooster as PAN Undoubted God of his glade? Attractive to nymphs ? Lord of Riot and Misrule Despite powers, is not in ultimate control. Defeated by TROY, if not by the council (the ending is left open) TASK: discover instances of Johnny as a PAN-like character. Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Innocents? Phaedra: name of ill-omen links her to Ancient Greece. Name means bright in Ancient Greek. Will die accused of an incestuous relationship with Hippolytus, her son with Theseus. Sings Blake s Jerusalem at the opening of the play. Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Anti and Post Pastoral Not all Pastoral reflects unstinting praise on rural way of life. Blake s Jerusalem suggests the evil encroachment of the Dark Satanic Mills onto a rural idyll. Hearks back to a time before Task: Research Blake and Jerusalem and develop ideas for this being the name of the play and the effect of such intertextuality. Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
the natural world can no longer be constructed as a land of dreams , but is in fact a bleak battle for survival without divine purpose Terry Gifford Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
The Anti Pastoral Seen clearly from 18th Century Poets like Stephen Duck and John Clare present reality and social criticism in place of simplistic rural idylls. And every village owns its tyrants now./ And parish-slaves must live as parish kings allow. John Clare, The Village Minstrel Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Reality bites: TASK For your wider reading look at these poets and authors and consider the relevance of their view of the pastoral and Nature: Ted Hughes John Clare Seamus Heaney, especially early poems William Blake Songs of Innocence and Experience Thomas Hardy. Present your findings to the group. Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
POST PASTORAL Aware of the development of Pastoral as a pejorative term Rise of Ecocriticism demands reading with an awareness of the environmental impact of actions. Effect of the migration from countryside to urban centres and the growth of Rural weekenders. CRITIC WATCH: Lawrence Buell Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
No longer about Humans In the Pastoral paradigm we considered the human condition against the backdrop of a rural retreat. We emerge enlightened. Now, we have as much an interest in the welfare of Arden as in that of its exiled inhabitants, as much interest in their interaction with Arden as in what they take back from it, as much interest in how they represent their interaction with it as in how their representation of themselves as inhabitant have changed. Terry Gifford: Pastoral Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
Giffords Post Pastoral checklist Awe in respect to Nature A recognition of a continuing cycle of birth/death or construction/destruction Recognition of the inner human nature being understood in relation to the outer workings of nature. Move from nature as culture towards culture as nature - all returns to earth in the end Developing consciousness breed conscience Exploitation of the planet is mirrored in human exploitation of gender and race. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
As we read Keep a check list of Pastoral, Anti and Post to help you fit the play into a genre. Consider this statement as well: Satyr plays were an ancient Greek form of tragicomedy, similar in spirit to the bawdy satire of burlesque. They featured choruses of satyrs, were based on Greek mythology, and were rife with mock drunkenness, brazen sexuality (including phallic props), pranks, sight gags, and general merriment. Jonathan Peel 2015 JLS
