Cummings Study Guide

.......Astrophel and Stellais a series of sonnets on the same theme. The work contains one hundred eleven sonnets in all, along with eleven songs. A sonnet is a form of lyric poetry with fourteen lines and a specific rhyme scheme. (Lyric poetry presents the deep feelings and emotions of the poet.) Thomas Newman printed editions of the sonnets in London in 1591. However, these editions contained errors resulting from sloppy copying and proofreading. Sidney's sister, the Countess of Pembroke, supervised preparation of an improved copy of the work in 1598 and published it in Arcadia, which contained other works besides Astrophel and Stella.

Title

.......Astro- (the first two syllables of Astrophel) derives from the Greek word for star, astron; -phel (the last syllable of Astrophel) is a loose transliteration of part of the Greek word philos (love or loving) or philein (to love). Thus, Astrophel means star-lover or loving a star. Stella derives from the Latin word stella, meaning star. The title is apt, for the sonnets center on a man who loves a shining beauty. She is the star that illuminates his life.
.......Some publishers print the title as Astrophil and Stella, because the third syllable of Astrophil repeats the first syllable of philos and philein. The third syllable of Astrophil also contains the first syllable of Sidney's first name, a nice pun. All well and good. But the first published edition of the sonnet series entitled the work Astrophel and Stella.

Background

.......Sir Philip Sidney was a poet, statesman, soldier, courtier, member of Parliament, and patron of scholars and artists during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. While in his early twenties, he began his career at court in a ceremonial position, cupbearer to the queen. Later, he carried out missions on behalf of the queen and corresponded with and hosted important foreign officials. His service earned him knighthood. However, after he was passed over for positions to the highest echelons of the queen's government, he began concentrating his energies on writing. His greatest literary achievement was Astrophel and Stella. In sheer technical bravado, this series of sonnets ranks second only to Shakespeare's sonnets in excellence.

Topic of the Sonnets

.......Sidney's sonnets center on the love of a man named Astrophel for a beautiful woman named Stella. Sidney based Astrophel on himself and Stella on a woman his aunt introduced to the queen's court in 1581, Penelope Devereux (1562-1607), daughter of the 1st Earl of Essex. Earlier, when she was just emerging from adolescence, Sidney exhibited an interest in her; her father hoped she would marry Sidney. But after her arrival at court, she married Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warrick. Nevertheless, Sidney fell in love with her. In 1582, he wrote Astrophel and Stella.
.......In the sonnets, Astrophel says Stella keeps her distance and in time marries another man. But she is not happy in her marriage and eventually falls in love with Astrophel. However, she remains true to her marriage vows and declines his invitation to become intimate.
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Analysis of Three Sonnets

.......Following are three examples of the sonnets.

Sonnet 1

Summary

.......Astrophel explains why he is writing the sonnets. When he began his task, he says, he wished to express in verse his love for Stella and the pain of separation from her. Reading his poetry might help her to know how he felt. This knowledge could win him her pity and then her love. But, he says, he found it difficult to find the right words to describe his anguish. To remedy this problem, he studied the poetic art and the works of other poets. Still the words came only haltingly. Finally, he decided to write straight from his heart—and the words began to flow.

Text

Summary

.......Astrophel falls asleep and dreams of Stella. He not only sees her image—created by "Love's own self"—but also hears it sing. Suddenly, however, the image disappears as he awakens. Lamenting its passing, he calls after it and tries to go to sleep again—but cannot.

Text

Summary

.......Astrophel, now very tired, begs Sleep to allow him to slumber again. Astrophel is willing to give Sleep his pillows, bed, quiet chamber, and a garland of roses if Sleep grants him his wish. But if these gifts prove unsatisfactory, Sleep will have the privilege of seeing the beautiful Stella in Astrophel's dreams.

Text

1.....fain: Ready; eager.
2.....inventions: Creative writing, imaginative writing.
3.....leaves: Pages of a book.
4.....step-dame . . . blows: Study, the step-mother (step-dame) of the creative process, only hindered Astrophel's attempt to write poetry.
5.....great . . . speak: Pregnant with words; ready to give birth to a poem.
6.....hatch: Close.
7.....unbitted: Unrestrained, uncontrolled, unbridled; released.
8.....fall to stray: Wander, roam. Astrophel's thoughts wander.
9.....my chief . . . things: Astrophel loses control over his ability to choose what he thinks about.
10...my . . . error: The errant (roving) ways of Astrophel's imagination.
11...curious draught: Strange outline, drawing; unusual picture of Stella.
12...him . . . slain: Stella is a guest in Astrophel's dream. When she leaves abruptly—that is, when the dream dissolves—he awakens. She has killed ("slain") her host, sleep.
13...baiting place: Place that provides refreshment on a journey. In other words, sleep nourishes and rejuvenates a writer's intellectual powers (wits).
14...indifferent: unbiased, impartial; objective.
15...shield of proof: Shield that has been tested and proven to be strong.
16...prease: Barrage; volley; bombardment; rush; press.
17...rosy garland: Garland of secrecy and seclusion. Since ancient times, the rose has been a symbol of secrecy. The Latin term sub rosa (under the rose) means secretly or privately.

Theme

.......Love is the theme of Astrophel and Stella—anguished love, passionate love, joyous love. But in the end, it is unrequited love; for Astrophel and Stella remain separated.

End Rhyme

.......The end rhyme in each sonnet is as follows:

Sonnet 1

.......Sonnet 1 is in iambic hexameter, as in the first two lines of the poem.

......1.................2...................3.....................4...................5...............6
That SHE..|..(dear SHE)..|..might TAKE..|..some PLEAS..|..ure OF..|..my PAIN

.......Sonnet 38 is in iambic pentameter, as in the first two lines of the poem.

.......1...................2..................3...............4...................5
To HATCH..|..mine EYES..|..and THAT..|..un BIT..|..ted THOUGHT

.......Sonnet 38 is in iambic pentameter, as in the first two lines of the poem.

.......1..................2...............3................4................5
The BAIT..|..ing PLACE..|..of WIT,..|..the BALM..|..of WOE

.......Following are examples of figures of speech in the poem. For definitions of figures of speech, see Literary Terms.

Alliteration

scepter of all subject things (Sonnet 38, line 4)
she, methinks, not only shines but sings (Sonnet 38, line 8)
But him her host that unkind guest had slain (Sonnet 38, line 14)

The baiting place of wit, the balm of woe (Sonnet 39, line 2)
make in me those civil wars to cease (Sonnet 39, line 7
And if these things, as being thine by right, / Move not thy heavy grace, thou shalt in me (Sonnet 39, lines 12-13)

my sun-burn'd brain (Sonnet 1, line 8)
Comparison of Stella (whose name is Latin for star) to the sun
Comparison of Astrophel's brain to sun-burned skin

This night while sleep begins with heavy wings (Sonnet 38, line 1)
Comparison of sleep to a flying creature

Come Sleep! O Sleep, the certain knot of peace,
The baiting place of wit, the balm of woe,
The poor man's wealth, the prisoner's release,
The indifferent judge between the high and low (Sonnet 39, lines 1-4)
Comparison of Sleep to a knot of peace, a baiting place, a balm, wealth, a prisoner's release, and a judge

make in me those civil wars to cease (Sonnet 39, line 7)
Comparison of Astrophel's inner turmoil to civil wars

those fierce darts Despair at me doth throw (Sonnet 39, line 6)
Comparison of Despair to a person throwing darts

• Write a sonnet that imitates the rhyme scheme of one of Sidney's sonnets. The topic is open.
• Write an essay on the social graces required of a courtier, such as Sidney, in Elizabethan England.
• What was a Muse? (Sonnet 1, line 14)
• What is the meaning of truant pen in Sonnet 1 (line 13)?

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