1. Pastoral Poetry
Egyptian Poetry

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. Setting of Egyptian Poetry
The New Kingdom ( 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.

6. 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.

7. “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.

8. “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.

9. “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.