How can Raleigh’s “The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd” be considered an anti-pastoral?
A. It pokes fun at love and romanticism.
B. It describes country living from a realistic perspective.
C. It dismisses the beauty of nature as boring and conventional.
B. It describes country living from a realistic perspective.
In "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd," Raleigh presents a counterpoint to Christopher Marlowe's pastoral poem, "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love." While the latter poem idealizes the joys of country life and portrays it as idyllic and romantic, Raleigh's response takes a different approach by emphasizing the fleeting and transient nature of happiness and the inevitable decay that accompanies it. By portraying the realistic aspects of country life, Raleigh undermines the idyllic vision presented in Marlowe's poem, making it a critique or anti-pastoral response.