Essay Questions

Explore how nature as a theme is presented in Paul Turner Longus’s Daphnis and Chloe.

After being abandoned by their parents as infants, Daphnis and Chloe are both raised by herders Lamon and Dryas. Lamon raises Daphnis whereas Dryas raises Chloe. The two characters are subjected to the power of nature which plays a central role in the novel. To the two characters, nature offers a great deal of nurturing as they are both raised within the woods by animals. Additionally, nature is personified through the character, Pan (god of natural entities) who save Chloe.

Love is a theme that is very well explored in Paul Turner Longus’s, Daphnis and Chloe. Show how this theme is brought out in the book.

Daphnis and Chloe is a work that puts great emphasis on the concept that love is born of instincts and is a process that is learned. When Daphnis falls in love with Chloe, their feelings are unfamiliar and as such require guidance to derive what it is that they are truly feeling. In this context, the character Philetas plays a pivotal role in teaching the characters about their feelings. Also, the two characters are rather green about the matter of sex until they are taught by Lycaenion.

Explore the concept of friendship as brought out in Paul Turner’s Longus’s Daphnis and Chloe.

After both Daphnis and Chloe are found by their respective adoptive parents, Lamon who raises Daphnis and Dryas who raises Chloe, the two characters are brought up in the same community. Since both Daphnis and Chloe are raised in the same community by herders, they grow up together and a friendship sprouts between them which eventually develops into love. In this way, friendship plays a major role in their falling in love with each other.