Pastoral Poetry & Pastoral Drama: A Literary Inquiry, with Special Reference to the Pre-Restoration Stage in England

"Pastoral Poetry & Pastoral Drama" by W. W. Greg is a literary inquiry published in the early 20th century. This work explores the evolution and significance of pastoral literature, with a particular emphasis on pre-Restoration English pastoral drama and its foundations in the broader European pastoral tradition. Greg investigates various forms of pastoral poetry and drama, tracing their origins and transformations across centuries. The opening of the inquiry outlines Greg's motivation for writing this extensive examination. He details a decade-long journey that began with a short article on English pastoral drama, emphasizing its necessity for a nuanced understanding of broader European pastoralism. The text introduces the complex nature of pastoral literature, which often blurs the lines between reality and artistic idealization, and sets the stage for a more intricate analysis of its historical and literary development, starting with foreign influences before navigating through English pastoral practices.