What is a pastoral novel primarily concerned with?

A pastoral novel is primarily concerned with themes of rural life, often idealizing the simplicity and beauty found in natural settings. These novels frequently depict harmonious relationships between humans and nature, emphasizing a slower pace of life that contrasts sharply with the busyness and complexities of urban existence. In this genre, pastoral elements can include lush descriptions of landscapes, idyllic country living, and a focus on the virtues of the agrarian lifestyle, often celebrating the innocence and purity associated with rural communities.

The other options focus on urban settings, industrial life, or complex philosophical ideas, which do not align with the characteristics commonly found in pastoral novels. These narratives celebrate nature and simplicity rather than the complications and challenges present in more urbanized or abstract settings.