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Pastoral Past

  • 200

    "Bucolics" by Theocritus

    "Bucolics" by Theocritus
    3rd Century B.C. First example of Pastoral poetry, contained themes of love and death. Established the traditions and themes of pastoral poetry, effectively marking the beginning of the pastoral movement.
  • 200

    "Eclogues" by Virgil

    "Eclogues" by Virgil
    The ideas of pastoralism moved from Greece to Rome where Virgil advanced the movement. He started the practice of alluding to contemporary problems through rustic society. Some of these problems involved agrarian, political, and personal issues.
  • 200

    "Daphnius and Chloe" by Longus

    "Daphnius and Chloe" by Longus
    Longus, a Greek writer, used was the first to incorporate prose romance into the movement.
  • Period: 200 to

    Pastoral Movement (3 B.C-1760 A.D.)

  • Period: Jan 1, 1300 to

    Renaissance

  • Jan 1, 1450

    Pastoral Dramas

    Pastoral Dramas
    Incorporated pastoral themes into dramas. Authors included Tasso and Guarini.
  • Dec 31, 1550

    Pastoral Romance Novels

    Pastoral Romance Novels
    Pastoral romance novels appeared. Sannazzaro, Montemayor, Cervantes, and d'Urfe wrote these novels.
  • Dec 1, 1579

    "Shepheardes Calender"

    "Shepheardes Calender"
    Edmund Spenser wrote the "Shepheardes Calender". He used the classical aspects that Theocritus and Virgil used as well as more modern ideas from the early Renaissaince. Pastoral literature became even more popular as a result.
  • "As You Like It" by Shakespeare

    "As You Like It" by Shakespeare
    Attempted a pastoral drama and took a satirical approach to pastoralism.
  • Change of Perspective

    Change of Perspective
    As a result of the Renaissance, the idea of a "real man" changed. People no longer wanted to be associated with the country and rustic lifesyles. Therefore, pastoralism slowly began to fade away.
  • The Lone Pastoral Survivor

    The Lone Pastoral Survivor
    After the renaisssance, the only aspect of pastoralism to remain in common use was the pastoral elegy. Percy Shelley and Matthew Arnold kept the movement alive.