In the "Reply," Ralegh essentially takes the argument put forth by Marlowe's shepherd and totally disses it, calling the shepherd out on the impermanence and short-term nature of all his promises to the nymph. "The Nymph's Reply" is a poem written in response to another poem, Christopher Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" which you can check out here. In fact, it's quite good and, in some ways, we have "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd" to thank for introducing it to us in the first place. But the fact that Ralegh isn't known for his poetry in the same way that Shakespeare and John Donne are, doesn't mean that his poetry isn't worth reading. Given the super-impressive magnitude of things he accomplished, Sir Walter Ralegh's poetry is generally seen as one of his lesser contributions to the world at large. Ralegh is responsible for naming the great state of Virginia, bringing tobacco to Europe, the potato to Ireland, and Edmund Spenser to England. Some people resented his unprecedented rise to wealth and popularity at court, while others admired him for his many talents as a soldier, courtier, philosopher, explorer, scientist, historian, and poet.Įither way you slice it, Ralegh had a totally fascinating life and brought a lot to the table. He was imprisoned in 1592 for secretly marrying one of Queen Elizabeth's ladies in waiting, and eventually executed on trumped-up charges for treason. As it turns out, both got him into a serious amount of trouble. Like most people who succeed in life, Sir Walter Ralegh had his fair share of both lovers and haters. 2, Article 8.The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd Introduction (2015) “I Am the Door of the Sheepfold,” The Yale ISM Review: Vol. You lay your body down across the breach, To bridge the gap, to bring us within reach Not one you made but one you have become: The dreadful curtain, the forbidding veil Not like the ones that closed in Mary’s faceįrom house to house in brimming Bethlehem, Not like the well-oiled openings that swung Not like the ones you planed at Joseph’s place, Not one that’s gently hinged or deftly hung, Have a blessed Good Shepherd Sunday, everyone! Although this is not the image highlighted in Year B, I was moved by the poem and so wanted to share it with you here as a reflection on the mystery we celebrate this Sunday. Together, all three of these gospel passages over the three years of the Lectionary cycle offer a rich depiction of Jesus and his saving work.Ī new poem by Malcolm Guite takes up the theme of Jesus as the gate, the door. Year C brings forward the theme of hearing the shepherd’s voice, and being known by him. Year A presents the image of Jesus as the gate of the sheepfold, a more puzzling image yet one which is also evocative. The Good Shepherd is thus the Crucified and Risen One, the paschal Christ of the Easter season. The gospel reading this year (Year B, John 10:11-18) presents the shepherd as the one who lays down his life for the sheep and takes it up again. The fact that he is invoked in the Easter season reminds us that the risen Christ continually cares for those who have been entrusted to him by the Father. Turning to the figure of the Good Shepherd himself, we see that he is a subject of great affection and attention in the tradition. Those who were newly baptized at Easter should be first and foremost on our minds this Sunday because they are “the new lambs.” And of course by extension, all those who belong to the flock of the Lord reflect on their relationship to him on this Sunday. In all three years of the lectionary cycle, there are readings about sheep and shepherds. The fourth Sunday of Easter is known as Good Shepherd Sunday, because of the gospel reading.
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