A <em>pastoral</em> is a type of literature that portrays rural life as an idealized environment. The main characters are the shepherds, extremely pure and perfect characters, whose life was free from any corruption, commonly found in city life. Some authors that wrote pastoral poems were Christopher Marlowe, Robert Frost, John Milton and Edmund Spencer.
Pastorals are a type of literature that focuses on rural settings. It describes both animals and people. More importantly, pastorals present an idealized view of rural life. They highlight the remoteness of these societies, and celebrate their freedom from the corruption of modern life. Besides Frost, authors such as John Milton and Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote pastorals.
