The Shepard and the Nymphs reply

thoughts. The Nymph might have a desire to be the love of the shepherd but is protecting herself from her feelings and heartbreak. The love of his heart is what’s important. The nymph shows another side of her that denies his love because she does not want to love the gifts that he gives but the

love that he gives. “We will sit upon the rocks”(5), by “shallow rivers”(7), listen to “Melodious birds sing”(8) and “I will make thee beds of roses”(9). She states, “Time drives the flock from field to fold”, and time also drives the love and lust to dust.

The shepherd goes on about the pleasures and never seems to mention any strong feelings of his love for her. She takes no interest and no pleasure in indulging in things that will not last forever, and love happens to be one of those pleasures. We don’t know why exactly the nymph response to the shepherd with defense and denial of the pleasures. There is a time limit on joy and pleasure when aging smothers the youth, and therefore she, the nymph, cannot believe in the lasting of the shepherd’s offer of his love. The nymph always uses very contrasting ideas and seems to be able to turn anything beautiful into something dark and depressing. In her mind, time makes nature fade and die, and his love as well. He goes on with “a thousand fragrant posies”(10) and her “delight each May morning”(22) but she still crushes his thoughts with “flowers do fade”(9), “Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten”(15) and “fancy’s spring, but sorrow’s fall”. She observes that love like nature changes and dies over time.