“the Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd” Essay Example

also in and of themselves a direct reply to Marlowe's. Raleigh uses the same iambic tetrameter that Marlowe uses, organizing the poem into four line stanzas composed of two rhyming couplets each. He achieves an oddly mocking tone with the meter because of the words involved. Although the words still flow because of the regular meter, they are decidedly less romantic and are juxtaposed with the meter. Examples of this are the harsh alliteration in "complains of cares to come" (8) or the rolling, soft sound that "wayward winter's reckoning yields" (10).

Although the metrics are regular and fall soft on the ear, the subject matter is darker and uses the meter to make fun of Marlowe's pastoral love poem. Raleigh also uses metric substitution, like his alliteration, to make his poem rougher and less pleasing to the ear than Marlowe's. The first example of metric substitution comes in the second stanza. The two stressed feet in "Time drives" (5) are an abrupt break from the pleasing, flowing metrics that Marlowe established and Raleigh's first stanza adhered to.

The spondee substitution has a forced sound that gives the reader the impression that time never ceases, relentlessly pressing on against the pleasures of which Marlowe's shepherd thinks so highly. It is also found in the second line where "rocks grow cold" (6). The substitution here is ironic verb "grow" is usually associated with natural things like trees and flowers, objects with which the shepherd tries to entice the nymph. The nymph, however, returns with an object that is rough and does not truly grow; she instead uses the word to mean "to turn", and the

stresses indicate the harsh reality of the line.

The second example of metrics is found in the fourth stanza, and it is an interesting thing indeed. Each line in the fourth stanza has nine syllables as opposed to eight, thus giving each line a feminine ending. This is interesting in that feminine endings are generally a weaker ending; however, it is clear in this stanza that the lines are powerful and reject the gifts the shepherd has offered. The third line of the stanza thunders into being, with four stressed syllables at the beginning and the bilabial plosive in break" gives the line a very angry tone; Raleigh uses the metrics, then, to give his nymph an anger and irritation to the shepherd's foolhardy thoughts of love and paradise, knowing that time will come and destroy it all one day. The nymph's reply, however, becomes softer and softer as she begins to feel pity or compassion towards the shepherd. The last two stanzas are in regular iambic tetrameter with the exception of the first line of the last stanza; the nymph tells the shepherd that "could youth last" (25) they would be together.

The three stresses on "could youth last" contribute to a sense of length; the reader expects the unstressed syllable to come naturally but it does not, instead waiting two syllables to appear. Both Marlowe and Raleigh were excellent poets and show it in both "The Passionate Shepherd" and "The Nymph's Reply". Raleigh's reply, however, cleverly bends Marlowe's images, ideas, and metrics into a more sober and mature outlook than the shepherd's dreamy infatuation. Source: http://www. helium. om/items/879551-poetry-analysis-the-nymphs-reply-to-the-shepherd-by-william-raleigh Extra: I also

found these steps which I found very interesting (although the source is not very reliable) 10 Step Poetry Explication Process 1) Title A nymph's reply to a statement made by a shepherd. 2)Dramatic Situtaion Speaker is the nymph (the young girl) The addressee is the shepherd 3)Subject The nymph is responding to the proposal made by the shepherd. She contrasts the hypothetical world presented by the shepherd with reality.

The nymph says that what makes the shepeherd's vision false is time and attacks his assumption that love and lovers will remain young. 4) Images, Figures of Speech, Literary Devices Raleigh uses the poetic devices that give Marowe's poem it's musicality. (as mockery) *alliteration- ex: "flocks from field to fold" *repition of intial consonant sounds- ex: "flowers" and "fade", "wayward" and "winter", "spring" and "sorrow", "fancy" and "fall" 5) Tone Realistic In Stanza 6 the tone changes to wishful with the word "but". The nymp wished the world could be immortal. 6) Structurial Divisions

Six four line stanza containing two rhymed couplets Predominant meter is iambic tetrameter ex: If all/ the world/ and love/ were young... The speaker contasts the shepherd's vision with realities introduced by the word "but" -Point by point shows how everything withers and dies. ****Parody-parallels The Passionate Shepherd to His Love in both form and content Rejects shepherd by stanza 5- "All these in me no means can move" In Stanza 6 a twist occurs. She says if the world were as the shepherd has promised. 7) Rhyme Scheme aabb ccdd eeff gghh iibb jjbb 8) Title The nymph's reply to the promises made by the shepherd ) Theme The

poem is centrally concerned with responding to the invitation by the Shepherd in The Passionate Shepherd to His Love. The poet wishes to addressee to know that his promises are not possible because time changes them. 10) Diction Formal- ex: "thee", "thy" Connotative- The images are real, but are taken from the Passionate Shepherd to His love, and go beyond their meaning. The effect of time on these objects is representative of all change. Concrete- The words are specific and give a mental picture ex: "coral claps", "rivers rage" Cacophonous-ex: "rage", "gall", "sorrow",