A Comparison and Contrast of Love in Christopher Marlowe’s "The Passionate Shepherd to his L
ove" and C. Day Lewis’s "Song"
In the poems "The Passionate Shepherd to his Lov
e" by Christopher Marlowe and "Song" by C. Day Lewis, the speakers display their indi
vidual views of what can be expected with their love. Both speakers produce invitations to love wit
h differences in what they have to offer. A list of promised delights is offered by the speaker in
"The Passionate Shepherd," and through persuasion, is able to influence the emotions of hi
s love. The speaker in "Song" shows the difficulties of his life, as seen in his economic
necessity and lack of material pleasures, but subsequently offers his love unconditionally in orde
r to convince his beloved. In comparison the poems expose the speakers’ use of separate methods to
influence their loves. Through comparing and contrasting the context in which the invitations occur
, what each speaker offers, and the tone of each speaker, these differing methods can be understood.
The "Passionate Shepherd" is set in a romantic, natural backdrop in the seventeenth cent
ury. In this rural setting the Shepherd displays his flock and pastures to his love while promising
her garlands and wool for weaving. Many material goods are offered by the speaker to the woman he
loves in hopes of receiving her love in return. He also utilizes the power of speech to attempt to
gain the will of his love. In contrast, the poem "Song" is set in what is indicative of a
twentieth century depression, with an urban backdrop that is characteristically unromantic. The sp
eaker "handle(s) dainties on the docks" (5) , showing that his work likely consists of mov
ing crates as a dock worker. He extends his affection through the emphasis of his love and how it h
as endured and survived all hardships. He uses the truth of his poor and difficult situation as a
tool to entice his love.
In the "Passionate Shepherd", the speaker offers his lover a mul
titude of delights to persuade her emotions in his favor. At the very beginning of the poem he stat
es his intention that "we will all the pleasures prove" (2) , creating a basis upon which
all his promises are centered. Using the natural setting of the poem as the framework for this idea
listic lifestyle, the speaker furnishes his love through the use of natural objects such as clothes
and accessories. He describes "A gown made of the finest wool / Which from our pretty lambs we
pull" (13-14) and "Fair lines slippers for the cold / With buckles of the purest gold&quo
t; (15-16) to influence his love’s decision. His gifts continue with "A belt of straw and ivy
buds / With coral clasps and amber studs" (17-18) to soften her heart in his favor. Through th
ese generous offerings the speaker hopes to attract her with objects but in the process fails to off
er himself. This reveals his superficial attitude towards women where by they can be manipulated wi
th gifts and promises, and in turn shows a sign of his possible sexual intentions. The speaker is p
ossibly trying to obscure his love long enough to take control and have his way with her. This idea
is reinforced in the line "I will make thee a bed of roses" (9) , which contains underlyi
ng sexual connotations. These intentions are masked in the speaker’s persuasive nature as he seduce
s his love with romantic images of "Melodious birds sing(ing) madrigals" (8) . It can als
o be observed that all the gifts which represent the speaker’s love are all fabricated from nature,
such as "A cap of flowers, and a kirtle / Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle" (11-12) .
Due to the fact that all substances of nature eventually die, this could imply that as the gifts w
ill die so will his love for her. In comparison to the offering of the speaker in "Song",
the shepherd appears to be insincere.
The speaker in "Song" does not try to impress his
love with grandeur. He does not proclaim the gifts he can give her but emphasizes that his love is
displayed through the hardships he endures. The speaker in this poem simply offers his honesty. Li
ke the speaker in "The Passionate Shepherd," this speaker "will all the pleasures pro
ve" (2) . The difference being that the speaker from "Song" offers it only on the &q
uot;chance that employment may afford (it)" (4) . The speaker in "The Passionate Shepherd
" promises to make "A gown of the finest wool" (13) , but the speaker in "Song&q
uot; promises that "thou shalt read of summer frocks (dresses)" (6) . This demonstrates t
hat the speaker offers what he can, and does not fabricate stories about the way things will be. Wh
en he speaks of an "evening by the sour canals / We’ll hope to hear some madrigals" (7-8)
, he knows that because of the pollution they will more that likely hear the songs of seagulls, boat
s, horns, and obscenities. When the speaker says "Care on thy maidens brow shall put / A wreat
h of wrinkles, and thy foot / Be shod with pain: not silken dress / But toil shall tire thy loveline
ss" (9-12) , he gives an indirect compliment to her beauty while emphasizing that love requires
work. Despite the absence of material objects, he still tries to be romantic. When the speaker sa
ys, "Hunger shall make thy modest zone (waist) / And cheat fond death of all but bone" (13
-14) he means that she will be thin not through intent, but through necessity.
The different emphas
is on what constitutes love for the speakers of the two poems is very evident. One offers hopes, dr
eams, objects, and material goods while the other offers reality. Love exists in both, but the reas
ons for that love are dramatically different. The speaker in "The Passionate Shepherd" de
sires physical love full of promises and the speaker in "Song" desires an enduring love th
at will exist through hard times. It is easy to be blinded by gifts and romance but the love that i
s truthful will last much longer.
Considering the motives of the speaker in "The Passionate Sh
epherd", enables the reader to determine the tone of the poem because it is conveyed in his att
itude towards his love. He has a false sense of romance because he thinks love means manipulating a
ffections through offering gifts but his affections can be considered falsely romantic. In the line
"If these delights thy mind may move" (15) the speaker in ‘Song" asks his love to th
ink about their love and everything that it includes, whereas in "The Passionate Shepherd"
, the speaker asks about what she thinks of the gifts he gave her. The speaker’s tone in "The
Passionate Shepherd" is aimed at what he believes she would like to hear.
In stark contrast, t
he speaker in "Song" is realistic about what his affection would entail. He wants to conv
ey to his love that his affections are unconditional and does not want her to be blinded by promises
of objets. One could mistake the speaker in "Song" as a pessimist whose attitude towards
romance is dull, but his honesty demonstrates a greater knowledge of what real love is.
Through co
mparing the speakers in "Song" and "The Passionate Shepherd", two methods for in
fluencing love are explored. The poem’s context, content, and tone provide a deeper insight into th
e different ways love can be enticed. The poems contrast truth and promises while the speakers demo
nstrate the diminishing power of words and objects, and the increasing effect of truthfulness as the
means to achieve true love. By contrasting the poems, the reader is convinced that truthfulness ra
ther than spoken promises is the most effective means of achieving true love.
C. Day Lewis (19251972) Song
Come, live with me and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove Of peace and plen
ty, bed and board, That chance employment may afford.
I’ll handle dainties on the docks And thou sh
alt read of summer frocks: At evening by the sour canals We’ll hope to hear some madrigals.
Care on
thy maiden brow shall put A wreath of wrinkles, and thy foot Be shod with pain: not silken dress Bu
t toil shall tire thy loveliness.
Hunger shall make thy modest zone And cheat fond death of all but
bone - If these delights thy mind may move, Then live with me and be my love.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lew
is, C. Day. "Two Songs. (2)" Poems of C. Day Lewis 1925-1972. Ed. Jonathan Cape.
Lond
on: Hogarth Press, 1977. 90. Marlowe, Christopher. "The Passionate Shepherd to his Love.&q
uot; The Broadview Anthology of
Poetry. Eds. Herbert Rosengarten and Amanda Goldrick-Jones. Pe
terborough:
Broadview Press, 1993. 414.
------------------------------------------------------------- comparison contrast love christopher marlowe quot passionate shepherd love quot lewis quot
song poems passionate shepherd love christopher marlowe song lewis speakers display their individual
views what expected with their both speakers produce invitations with differences what they have of
fer list promised delights offered speaker passionate shepherd through persuasion able influence emo
tions speaker song shows difficulties life seen economic necessity lack material pleasures subsequen
tly offers unconditionally order convince beloved comparison poems expose speakers separate methods
influence their loves through comparing contrasting context which invitations occur what each speake
r offers tone each these differing methods understood romantic natural backdrop seventeenth century
this rural setting displays flock pastures while promising garlands wool weaving many material goods
offered woman loves hopes receiving return also utilizes power speech attempt gain will contrast po
em indicative twentieth century depression with urban backdrop that characteristically unromantic ha
ndle dainties docks showing that work likely consists moving crates dock worker extends affection th
rough emphasis endured survived hardships uses truth poor difficult situation tool entice offers lov
er multitude delights persuade emotions favor very beginning poem states intention that will pleasur
es prove creating basis upon which promises centered using natural setting poem framework this ideal
istic lifestyle furnishes natural objects such clothes accessories describes gown made finest wool w
hich from pretty lambs pull fair lines slippers cold buckles purest gold influence decision gifts co
ntinue belt straw buds coral clasps amber studs soften heart favor these generous offerings hopes at
tract objects process fails offer himself this reveals superficial attitude towards women where they
manipulated gifts promises turn shows sign possible sexual intentions possibly trying obscure long
enough take control have idea reinforced line will make thee roses contains underlying sexual connot
ations these intentions masked persuasive nature seduces romantic images melodious birds sing madrig
als also observed gifts represent fabricated from nature such flowers kirtle embroidered leaves myrt
le fact substances nature eventually could imply comparison offering appears insincere does impress
grandeur does proclaim give emphasizes displayed hardships endures simply honesty like pleasures pro
ve difference being from only chance employment afford promises make gown finest wool thou shalt rea
d summer frocks dresses demonstrates does fabricate stories about things when speaks evening sour ca
nals hope hear some madrigals knows because pollution they more likely hear songs seagulls boats hor
ns obscenities when says care maidens brow shall wreath wrinkles foot shod pain silken dress toil sh
all tire loveliness gives indirect compliment beauty while emphasizing requires work despite absence
material objects still tries romantic when says hunger shall make modest zone waist cheat fond deat
h bone means thin intent necessity different emphasis constitutes poems very evident hopes dreams go
ods while other reality exists both reasons dramatically different desires physical full desires end
uring exist hard times easy blinded romance truthful last much longer considering motives enables re
ader determine tone because conveyed attitude towards false sense romance because thinks means manip
ulating affections offering affections considered falsely line delights mind move asks think about e
verything includes whereas asks about thinks gave tone aimed believes would like hear stark contrast
realistic affection would entail wants convey affections unconditional want blinded objets could mi
stake pessimist whose attitude towards romance dull honesty demonstrates greater knowledge real comp
aring methods influencing explored context content provide deeper insight into different ways entice
d truth demonstrate diminishing power words increasing effect truthfulness means achieve true contra
sting reader convinced truthfulness rather than spoken most effective achieving true lewis come live
prove peace plenty board chance employment afford handle dainties docks thou shalt read summer froc
ks evening sour canals hope some madrigals care maiden brow wreath wrinkles foot shod pain silken dr
ess toil tire loveliness hunger modest zone cheat fond death bone mind move then live songs jonathan
cape london hogarth press marlowe christopher broadview anthology poetry herbert rosengarten amanda
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