The Sad Shepherd by Henry Van Dyke
A young shepherd's life is disrupted when he falls in love with a beautiful woman who is being pursued by a wealthy suitor. The shepherd must decide between his loyalty to the woman and his own desires, while also confronting the harsh realities of poverty and social class.
By Henry Van Dyke · First published 1935 · Genre: Religious Fiction, Allegory, Historical Fiction · 3 chapters · 8,115 words
First lines
Out of the Valley of Gardens, where a film of new-fallen snow lay smooth as feathers on the breast of a dove, the ancient Pools of Solomon looked up into the night sky with dark, tranquil eyes, wide-open and passive, reflecting the crisp stars and the small, round moon. The full springs, overflowing on the hill-side, melted their way through the field of white in winding channels; and along their course the grass was green even in the dead of winter.
What this Textopian page supports
The Sad Shepherd is listed on Textopian as a novel by Henry Van Dyke, dated 1935 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Henry Van Dyke
- Date: 1935 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious Fiction, Allegory, Historical Fiction, Philosophical Fiction, Drama
- Length: 8,115 words
- Structure: 3 chapters, 146 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Sad Shepherd by Henry Van Dyke
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Genres
- Religious Fiction — The narrative is deeply rooted in biblical themes and settings, exploring spiritual and moral questions.
- Allegory — The story uses symbolic characters and events to convey deeper moral and spiritual meanings.
- Historical Fiction — Set in a historical context with references to historical figures and locations, blending fact with fiction.
- Philosophical Fiction — The text delves into existential themes, exploring the nature of faith, hope, and redemption.
Tags
Fiction · Poetry · Norse Mythology · Christianity · Faith · Drama · Tragedy · Love Story · Romance · Mythological Fiction · Literary Fiction · Symbolism