Amaryllis at the Fair · Theme
Nature and the Pastoral Ideal
How Amaryllis at the Fair develops Nature and the Pastoral Ideal.
Nature is presented as a source of beauty, solace, and authenticity, contrasted with the artificiality of modern life; the lost damask roses, the daffodils, and Iden's love of the land symbolize a vanishing rural world.
Where it surfaces
- I
The daffodil and damask rose symbolize a lost pastoral beauty, contrasted with the harsh east wind and modern, soulless gardens.
- III
Mr. Iden's praise of fresh swede tops and sap as superior to town-bought greens underscores his connection to the land and natural cycles.
- V
Iden's lengthy meditation on apples, orchards, and the natural medicine of fruit reflects a pastoral ideal and connection to the land.
- XXIII
The kitchen is described as a rustic, homely space with a wide hearth, starry chimney, and snow outside, evoking a pastoral ideal of simple, genuine life.
- XXVI
Iden's garden and summerhouse are a healing paradise; nature restores Amadis and Alere Flamma.
- XXVIII
The narrator defends the real, unadorned beauty of nature against the 'dress-coat' representations in galleries, emphasizing the impossibility of capturing life itself, such as a bird in flight.
- Alere Flamma's Retreat to Coombe Oaks
Coombe Oaks is described as a spa among apple-bloom, finches, and rustling leaves, a pastoral retreat from the city.
- XXXIII
The farmhouse scene emphasizes peace, plenty, and the beauty of a simple life, contrasting with Amadis's inner turmoil.
- XXXIV
The meadow, buttercups, kingfisher, and oak trunk create an idyllic natural setting for the lovers' interlude, contrasting with the sordidness of poverty.