In The Passionate Shepherd to His Love, the speaker uses vivid descriptions of nature and material gifts to persuade his beloved. What symbolic meanings do "myrtle" and "ivy" carry in the poem, and how do they relate to the speaker’s persuasive purpose?
n Christopher Marlowe’s The Passionate Shepherd to His Love, "myrtle" and "ivy" carry rich symbolic meanings deeply tied to the shepherd’s persuasive goal of winning his beloved’s heart.
1. Symbolic meanings of myrtle
Myrtle is a classic symbol of love, beauty, and marital bliss in classical mythology, closely associated with Aphrodite (Venus), the goddess of love. In the poem, it represents the purity and sacredness of the shepherd’s romantic affection for his beloved. Beyond its mythic connotation, myrtle’s lush, evergreen nature also symbolizes the enduring quality of the love he promises—unfading and constant.
2. Symbolic meanings of ivy
Ivy is linked to Dionysus (Bacchus), the god of wine, fertility, and sensual pleasure in Greek and Roman mythology. It embodies passion, desire, and the intimate bond between lovers. Its climbing, clinging growth pattern further metaphorizes the shepherd’s longing for a close, inseparable connection with his beloved.
3. Connection to the persuasive purpose
The shepherd uses these symbolic plants to strengthen his persuasion in two key ways. First, by weaving myrtle and ivy into the material gifts (e.g., "a kirtle embroidered with myrtle leaves" and "beds of roses with a thousand fragrant posies, / A cap of flowers, and a kirtle / Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle; / A gown made of the finest wool / Which from our pretty lambs we pull; / Fair lined slippers for the cold, / With buckles of the purest gold; / A belt of straw and ivy buds") he offers, he transforms ordinary pastoral gifts into vessels of profound romantic and sensual meaning. Second, the mythic and natural symbolism of the plants elevates his simple pastoral proposal beyond a mundane invitation—he frames their life together as a union filled with sacred love, lasting joy, and passionate intimacy, making his plea more compelling and alluring to his beloved