Question

When did pastoral poems in English first appear?

a) 15th century
b) 16th century
c) 17th century
d) 18th century

Answer 1

Pastoral poems in English first appeared in the 16th century, during the Early Modern English period, alongside the celebrated works of William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe.

Step-by-step explanation:

Pastoral poems in English first appeared during the 16th century. This period, known as Early Modern English, ranged from 1500 to 1690 and was a time of cultural blossoming in the arts, particularly in the realms of literature and theater. Playwrights like William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe excelled in this era, with Shakespeare integrating pastoral elements into several of his works, such as As You Like It. Pastoral poetry itself focuses on the idyllic and often romanticized vision of rural life and was a genre that these writers, among others, employed to great effect during the Renaissance period.