The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia

The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia

Philip Sidney, Richard Bellings, Stirling, William Alexander, Earl of and Ernest A. (Ernest Albert) Baker (1554-1586)

Approximate level
C1
Length
344,656 words
Reading time
28 h 43 min
Chapters
11
Language
English
On Project Gutenberg since
2023

This work is a classic example of Elizabethan pastoral literature. It features a dialogue between two shepherds, Thyrsis and Dorus, who discuss their romantic troubles through poetry. Because it was written in the late sixteenth century, the vocabulary is archaic and the sentence structures are complex. You will encounter many metaphors and poetic inversions that may challenge your reading comprehension. This book is suitable for those interested in the history of the English language and the conventions of early modern verse.

74,707 downloads on Project Gutenberg

Subjects

  • Pastoral literature, English

Questions about this book

What level of English do I need for this book?

The estimate is C1, based on how common the words are and how long the sentences run. It is an approximation, not a test result. With a translation under every sentence you can start one level earlier than you would with a paper copy.

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How long does it take to read?

About 28 h 43 min at a native pace, spread over 11 chapters. In a foreign language plan for more: half an hour a day finishes a book of this size in a few weeks.

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Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain.