Pastoral Forms and Attitudes delves into the evolution of pastoral literature, showcasing its adaptability across genres and historical periods while retaining its thematic core. From the classical works of Theocritus and Virgil to modern poets like Stevens and Frost, the study examines how pastoral engages with themes such as the tension between nature and artifice, mythological influences, and social and ecological dynamics. Rejecting a rigid focus on conventions, it emphasizes the form’s fluid response to cultural and historical changes, blending formalistic and sociological approaches to highlight its relevance. By exploring canonical figures like Spenser, Shakespeare, and Wordsworth alongside modern voices, this work redefines pastoral as a lens for understanding literature’s relationship with enduring human concerns.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1971.