Pastoral literature is that which focuses on the lives of shepherds, typically for the benefit of urban audiences. The main theme of these works is the celebration of a simple life. Therefore, these works tend to show an idealized version of rural life, in which simplicity and austerity are encouraged. These texts also contrast the life of rural communities with that of urban ones, which are depicted as vain and undesirable. Finally, these genre also discusses the importance of nature in human life.
