In this excerpt from the poem "Thanatopsis" by William Cullen Bryant, what is the meaning of the word swain?

Thine individual being, shalt thou go
To mix forever with the elements,
To be a brother to the insensible rock
And to the sluggish clod, which the rude swain
Turns with his share, and treads upon. The oak
Shall send his roots abroad, and pierce thy mold.

a young vineyard worker
a young boy who hunts wild animals
a young shepherd or country boy
a very unpleasant person

Question

In this excerpt from the poem "Thanatopsis" by William Cullen Bryant, what is the meaning of the word swain?

Thine individual being, shalt thou go
To mix forever with the elements,
To be a brother to the insensible rock
And to the sluggish clod, which the rude swain
Turns with his share, and treads upon. The oak
Shall send his roots abroad, and pierce thy mold.

a young vineyard worker
a young boy who hunts wild animals
a young shepherd or country boy
a very unpleasant person

kyanthedoodle · Answer

Okay, so the definition of swain is a young shepherd. Which option is closest to this definition?

anonymous · Answer

i thank it is A,B,or C

kyanthedoodle · Answer

Which option describes a young shepherd?

anonymous · Answer

it is C