Frida Rautiainen

The pastoral genre and Walden

The way in which different eras have affected the writing of literature is nothing new. It is
possible to see which eras a work is written just by, for example, analyzing the depiction of
nature. In many ancient literary works, it is possible to distinguish pastoral depictions of
nature, where shepherds and a utopian life in the country are the ideals. Nevertheless, it is
important to point out that modern literary works throughout different eras also have
pastoral stylistic features, but the pastoral genre has its origins in ancient literature (Highet
2015:162). In the reading of Henry David Thoreau's Walden, some descriptions suggest
pastoral features. In the following essay, an analysis of these descriptions will be made,
presenting how they are in line with the ancient pastoral genre. The question is: what
pastoral characteristics does Thoreau use in his work Walden?

The first and most characteristic feature of the pastoral genre is what Gilbert Highet describes
as “easy live and quiet die”, which he presents in his book The Classic Tradition - Greek &
Roman Influences on Western Literature (Highet 2015: 162). The genre's stylistic features can
already be found in Sappho's poetry, where depictions of the countryside are romanticized
(Hiltner 2013). On the other hand, Sappho's poetry lacks the prominent sheppard figures that
are often used when it comes to pastoral works. According to Highet's quote, the goal of
pastoral literature is to portray the countryside in an allegorical utopia. This is in contrast to a
state that is characterized by a corrupt urban formation and aristocracy (Highet 2015: 162).
The experiment or project that Thoreau describes in Walden focuses on the contrast between
the easy life of the countryside and the industrial city. A clear critique of society is already
presented in the first chapter "Economy" in the book, where Thoreau believes that other
individuals are wasting their life. The individuals in question rush through life and have as
their only focus to reach a certain social standard and wealth, which according to Thoreau,
will never really fulfil their deepest desire. This is in contrast to himself, who lived a simple
life, close to nature. In the next chapter "Where I lived, and what I lived for" the reader also
gets to take part in Thoreau's arguments regarding material things and economics. Thoreau
clearly highlights the following in the chapter: simplify life and live close and in symbiosis
with nature. Similar to Virgil's Arcadia, Thoreau thus depicts a refuge to nature that can result
in inner peace.

The pastoral idyll continues to be identified in the chapter "Sound" where the narrator

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describes: ''Sometimes, on a summer morning, after taking my usual bath, I sat in my sunny
doorway from sunrise to noon, rapt in awe, in the middle of the pines and hickories and
sumachs, in undisturbed solitude and stillness, while the birds sang around me ...” (Thoreau
2016: 90). The narrator's peaceful idyll is interrupted when a train passes by, and he is drawn
back to the ongoing industrialization of America. The train's interruption puts the narrator in
front of two different worlds, the artificial mechanical city and the natural agricultural
society. Here the pastoral stylistic features become clear again as the dystopian city invades
his utopia. The following incident, on the other hand, is followed by a possible interruption in
the pastoral descriptions. The narrator seems to be open to accepting the train and the sounds
it brings. In an allegorical way, the narrator connects the sounds with natural phenomena, like
a bird´s sound. Thoreau has earlier in the narrative set nature and city against each other, but
in this instance he can accept the city's encroachment on nature. The question then is whether
Thoreau in the following sequence makes nature anthropocentric, that is, when nature exists
in a position of dependence on man (Tengert 2019: 153). Or if Thoreau wants to achieve
transcendentalism. It can be argued that the following phenomenon is accepted because
Thoreau wants to contribute to the open-minded perspective that is in line with
transcendentalism. That the train is accepted can make us gain a deeper understanding of the
world and its possibilities. It then becomes clear that Thoreau does not depict an
anthropocentric nature towards Walden Pond, therefore the train which travelled by
co-existed as a separate entity. Walden Pond is portrayed earlier and later in the narrative
without any train, so it can be concluded that Thoreau does not view it with an
anthropocentric nature.

To return to Walden and the pastoral genre, this quote by Thoreau is relevant in the analysis:
“Pastoral is the view of the pasture from the living room window” (Hiltner 2013). As proven
by history a utopian society can never exist. This is also defined by Vergil's pastoral poetry
about Arcadia. Vergil described Arcadia as a beautiful area, but in reality it was “harsh
hill-country in the center of the Peloponnese” (Highet 2015: 163).This is in correlation with
Thoreau's view that a utopia is something seen from the window not something present in
society. Despite the fact that Thoreau portrays the nature around him as idyllic and that the
narrative continually sets nature against the city, it becomes clear that Thoreau's purpose is
not to get everyone to move out to the forest to reach their full potential. Thoreau rather
means that you should "Direct your eye right inward, and you'll find A thousand regions in
your mind" (Thoreau 2016: 257).

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The conclusion is that Thoreau uses pastoral stylistic features, by contrasting the city and
nature, but also by painting nature as an idyll. On the other hand, there are also signs that
Thoreau in his work wants to achieve transcendentalism and therefore accepts the intrusion
of industrialization into nature. Finally, it is clearly stated by Thoreau that utopia is not a
physical place you must look for, but one which must be found within you.

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Reference list

Highet, Gilbert. 2015. The Classic Tradition - Greek & Roman Influences on Western
Literature. Oxford: Oxford University Press Inc.

Hiltner, Ken. 2013. Introduction to Literature and the Environment - Lecture 6: Pastoral
(Video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kkrlrs9koE8 (2021-06-24)

Thoreau, Henry David. 2016. Walden. London: Penguin classics

Tengert, Paul. 2019. Litteraturteori. Malmö: Gleerups Utbildning AB