PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA

College of Education
Department of Teacher Education

LITERATURE DURING THE ENGLISH RENAISSANCE

In completion of the assessment of the second group under the

subject Survey of English and American Literature
ENL 3112-2

Professor Almira M. Jallores

Krista Amzi A. Lor

November 2023
 Table of Contents

Of Studies by Francis Bacon 1

The Passionate Shepherd to His Love by Christopher Marlowe 3

The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd by Walter Raleigh 4

 Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

Of Studies
Francis Bacon

A. What have you learned from the theme of this particular literary work?
Francis Bacon’s essay, “Of Studies” discusses the nature and essence of
studying. For many scholars and individuals, studying is perceived as the pinnacle of all
academic practices as its ultimate purpose serves the pursuit of knowledge一which in
the eyes of a simple man, is a respectable feat. However, Francis Bacon highlighted the
three purposes of studying: For delight, for ornament, and for ability. He described the
practice with a much more negative connotation, stating that studying in itself is of no
use lest it be included with experience. Francis Bacon wrote; “To spend too much time
in studies is sloth, to use them too much for ornament is affectation, and to make
judgment wholly by their rules is the humor of a scholar.” This means that while studying
is undeniably necessary for men to progress and for knowledge to prosper, to take it for
granted immediately takes away its essence. From what I have learned, the essay
seeks to divert the attention of scholars and individuals alike from the practice of
studying as a whole, to the more elaborate and unpretentious aspects of it一reading,
comprehension, and the genuine interest of men in academics, and the integration of
studies in the real life experiences of humans. Studying, after all, was made for the sake
of understanding the life that surrounds us.

B. How would you relate the issue that has been discussed to the present day,
and how would you introduce this literary work to your prospective
students as a teacher of English literature?
Academic excellence and high grades do not equate to knowledge and
experiences gained. It’ easy to get a high score on a test一to spend the whole night
studying and memorizing concepts and remembering them the next day一but it does
not guarantee that we have actually learned something from what we studied. A person
who knows a lot of things but is not shaped by their knowledge is a smart man, but he is
not wise. Bacon’s essay encourages its readers to not use studying for granted, but to
use the practice for a much broader vision that has the capability not only to serve the

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society, but to change it. As a future teacher of English literature, Francis Bacon’s “Of
Studies” will undeniably be one of the literary works that I will teach, for the sake of
realigning my future students’ perspectives in the nature and practice of studying. I will
highlight the three purposes of studying according to the author of the literary work, and
explain the significance of experience functioning hand-in-hand with knowledge. As
Francis Bacon had stated in his essay, “some books are to be tasted, others to be
swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested”. I am certain that his work, “Of
Studies”, is one of those texts that are worthy of being digested.

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The Passionate Shepherd to His Love

Christopher Marlowe

A. What have you learned from the theme of this particular literary work?
The shepherd in Marlowe’s poem is incredibly superficial and idealistic. He
believed that beauty and wealth were sufficient to live a life of happiness, and that
material possessions were definitive of love. While the shepherd’s love may be genuine
一at least he is convinced it is一his approach in professing it towards the nymph was
wrong. While I understand that the shepherd only wanted to share the beauty of life as
they live it together to the fullest with the love of his life, the nymph, in a way the
countryside may still represent the idyllic and materialistic nature of man. If there is
anything that I have learned from the poem, it’s that while there is no shame in wanting
to experience life and the material things it has to offer, it is still much more important to
separate our unrealistic ideals of a good life and learn to appreciate and live with the
bird-at-hand.

B. How would you relate the issue that has been discussed to the present day,
and how would you introduce this literary work to your prospective
students as a teacher of English literature?
Materialism is a trait that is difficult to separate from the nature of a man living in
a capitalistic society. We tend to weigh our happiness and sense of belongingness in
the material possessions that we have, which if not on all occasions, only leaves us in
contempt and unsatisfied. That is the flaw of the shepherd’s promise. As a future
teacher of English literature, I will be teaching not only the poem as it is, but also its
implications in the present-day society. It provides a good lesson about materialism, and
whilst there is no harm in simply admiring the physical aspects of life it should not serve
as the basis for one’s happiness. After all, not even the finest wool could ever satiate
the heart of a greedy man.

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The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd

Walter Raleigh

A. What have you learned from the theme of this particular literary work?
‘The Nymph’s reply to the Shepherd’ discusses the impermanence of material
possessions and the fleeting nature of life. While the shepherd’s promises might be
appealing in the eyes of the naive and the young, time eventually withers everything
that is physical. From what I have learned, humans should not dwell too much in what
they see from the surface一we must abandon these desires, because it is only a matter
of time before we witness them grow old and rot. As the Nymph said, “Thy cap, thy
kirtle, and thy posies / Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten.” A person’s love cannot
be justified by what they offer materially, and happiness does not come from the
short-lived flowers in the field.

B. How would you relate the issue that has been discussed to the present day,
and how would you introduce this literary work to your prospective
students as a teacher of English literature?
Similar to what I stated in the second question for the poem ‘The Passionate
Shepherd to His Love’, I would go beyond teaching the structure and surface
understanding of the poem. I would rather teach its symbolisms and implications,
because it leaves a good lesson on the impermanence of material things. It discusses
the negative impact of using physical possessions as a basis for one’s happiness, and
how loving short-lived objects leads to short-lived contentment. I would rather focus on
its meaning. As a future teacher of English literature, I truly believe that having a deeper
understanding of a literary work’s symbolisms and implications fosters the core values
of students.