Elizabethan Poetry · English Literature

In 'The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd,' how does Sir Walter Raleigh respond to Marlowe's pastoral idealism?

  1. With enthusiastic agreement and joyful acceptance
  2. With cynical realism about time and decay
  3. With a marriage proposal
  4. With a theological argument defending the beauty of nature
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Correct answer: With cynical realism about time and decay

Raleigh's poem is a 'reply' that critiques Marlowe's imagery. The Nymph points out that flowers wither and 'wayward winter' comes, arguing that the shepherd's promises are temporary and dishonest.

Difficulty: Medium Question 7 of 20

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