Critical appreciation of Astrophel and Stella

It is really interesting that Sidney, who as a sonneteer imitated Petrarch not only thematically in his adoration of unreachable beloved, but also structurally in dividing his sonnets into octave and sestet, makes a strong appeal for individuality and spontaneity in writing poetry in the sonnet no 1 of Astrophel and Stella. This balance between imitation and individuality is beautifully displayed through the presentation of the process of writing poetry that begins with a strong endeavor of copying and ends with an emphatic rejection of the idea of plagiarism. what comes to conclusion is that self-felt feelings can only be externalized by the support of inspiration chat comes from within. Thus, it foretells the concept of romantic poetry which views poetry as “spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling”. The exposition of the process of making poetry makes this poem a meta-poetry on deep–felt love that remains unrequited.

The poem, Astrophel and Stella is modeled on a logical structure. In the first quatrain, the poet expresses that his objective is to express his love for his beloved, whom he loves “truly”. yet, in spite of such truthfulness what compels the poet to make a schematic and systematic approach is his consciousness of the apparent impossibility of union. The love of Astrophel and Stella, star lover and star, can never find consummation in a union, and in real life also no social relation is possible between the poet and  Penelope, the two possible figures suggested in the title, for the latter is already married. A chain of the argument follows which serves to justify such an attempt by the poet. The poet would desire to show his love in verse which would draw the attention of the beloved for “she might take some pleasure “from the poet’s agony. This pleasure would move her to read, and “reading might make her know” about his distressing love. Thus, she would be led to pity for the sufferer, thereby to love the distressed.

The goal having been set, the poet, in the second quatrain, ventures to adopt appropriate means to actualize his desire, for he is aware that poetry is something that would not come to him naturally. So, the nearest way is to read others’ poetry containing such powerful words which would be successful in painting his “blackest face of woe”-the phrase pointing out the depth of his suffering. He would see if thence would flow Some fresh and fruitful showers’ upon his “sun burnt brain”. The poet’s brain is as sterile and infertile as dried-up soil, and it requires inspiration from without,  just as dry soil needs fruitful showers from rain-laden clouds. But his turning to others for the production of poetry proves futile, for what he finds instead is imitation.

The failure of his objective in the octave makes the poet contemplate on the nature of invention or inspiration:

“Invention Nature’s child fled step dame study’s blows,

And others’ feet still seemed but strangers in my way.”

The study, from which inspiration has been so long sought after, appears only as an unsympathetic stepmother who, instead of nurturing the natural child –inspiration or invention – gives strong blows to make it flee. So, “wanting invention ‘s stay” words did not come to him naturally and smoothly. His love is different from theirs and therefore demands an individual mode to get expressed. In the end, the poet is left in the condition of a mother who is “great with child to speak” yet helpless in “throes”.It is in this helpless condition when he has nothing to “bite his truant pen”-the  metaphor again emphasizing his frustration – that he realizes that inspiration comes spontaneously and naturally, directly from heart, from within rather than without:

“Fool”, said my Muse to me, “look in thy heart and write”.

            Thus the poem seems to validate Eliot’s theory of Tradition and individual talent in Petrarchan tradition and yet transcend it pleading for originality. At the same time, it sounds like a universal note as it shows the predicament of every poet faced at the time of creating poetry.

 Let's read 

Character of Lady Macbeth

Sonnet no 18: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day-Critical appreciation

Anglo – saxon elegy or lyric -Old English Period

Anglo-Saxon religious poetry/Christian

Major Themes in A Midsummer Night's Dream