The Nymph Rejects the Shepherd Essay -- Nymphs Reply to the Shepherd

The Nymph Rejects the Shepherd  Ã‚   "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd" is Sir Walter Raleigh's poem of compassionate rejection in response to Christopher Marlowe's poem "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love." The reasons the nymph gives for her rejection are just excuses; her real reason for turning the shepherd down is her lack of love for him. The nymph responds to the shepherd's proposal to "come live with me and be my love" (1) by saying all of the things he wants to give her will fade, whither, and be forgotten; therefore, she cannot accept his offer. The shepherd lists in his poem many beautiful things he will give the nymph and all of the wonderful things they will do together. "And we will sit upon the rocks, / Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks...And I will make thee ...