Penshurst Landscape

The landscape that surrounds Penshurst is notably idyllic. It is home to figures of antiquity and the pastoral tradition, including the muses and Pan, the god of shepherds and flocks. The inclusion of these allusions to ancient Greek and Roman mythology associates Penshurst and the Sidneys with the literary traditions inspired by antiquity. Furthermore, the animals that surround Penshurst are plentiful: there are deer, horses, birds, fish, sheep, cows, etc. Many of the animals are eager to be killed and served as part of the meal to the guests of Penshurst, and the labor of caring for and slaughtering the animals is removed from the poem entirely. In this way, Jonson crafts an image of the surrounding landscape at Penshurst that represents society in its ideal form.

Penshurst Interior

The interior of Penshurst is much like the exterior landscape. It features espaliered walls on which hang "the...