Astrophil and Stella (Sonnet 2) Essay

Astrophil and Stella (Sonnet 2) Essay - Type Question

January 21, 2022

Essay - Type Question

The pocts attitude to love is complex using quotes from the poem, illustrate the various thoughts that pass through the poet's mind.

The poem'Astrophil and Stella is à sonnetrwritten by Philip Sidney who was an English poet, Soldicr &Courtier. In 1575, he met Penelope Devereux, who later became lady Rich. The poem describes the relationship of Astrophil and Stella and takes us through the ups and downs of the relationship.

The name 'Astrophil derives from the Greek word'Aster which means (star) and 'phil means (lover). And the latin word Stella' means (star). Thus, Astrophil is the star lover and stell a is his star. In this sonnet he explain the painstakting detail of falling in love with stella. In the opening of the poem the poet describes that he did not fall in love with stella, 'At first Sight", but was gradually charmed into doing so. He explain his pain of love in the line, "Till by degrees it had full conquest got." It means that it was not happen by chance. The poet uses the phrase, "dribed shot,' It refers to the image of cupid shooting him with his arrow. He prays that, cupids shot wounds him, but does not make him fall in love with stella. He describes how by degrees he fall in love with stella. He says that in line, "I saw and liked, liked but loved not, loved but didn't obey its commands, obeyed with a rabellious attitude and lost even a wish to be free." He become the slave of love.

The poet describes his falling in love in terms of a sort of battle in which he unwittingly surrenders. The poet represent his woeful situation by using the term, "slave- born muscovite', it means that he is suffering from having lost his freedom falling in love turn him into a slave-bom muscovite, because he became a slave of love. In the end of the poem, the poet claims that he worships for his love being under the cruel leadership of his love for stella. He represent this in the line,"I call it praise to suffer tyranny," In the last couplet of the poem the poet express his woeful condition in the line,"To make myselfbelieve that all is well, while with a feeling skill, I paint my hell." Here, the poet claims that, he is fine, and all is well. He know that falling in love is like to hell but he deceived himself and assured us that all is well and energthing is ok.

In this way the poet describes his woeful condition, pain & suffering he is enduring because of falling in love.