Themes Of Love In Sir Philip Herbert's 'Astrophil And Stella'

In “Astrophil and Stella” sonnet one by Sir Philip Sydney is about the speaker’s love towards Stella. While “Jordan (1)” by George Herbert is about the speaker’s love towards the divine (God). Both of these sonnets are similar as both poems are wanting to convey their love through formal features. However, I will be arguing in this essay that the formal features are not expressing the speaker 's love but is questioning their love. Furthermore, love is challenged through the formal features of imagery, diction, and symbolism. Moreover, this essay will have ideas integrated from others essays to support my argument. Nonetheless, after the speaker in “Jordan (1)” questions his love through formal features he can convey his love. While the speaker

In the sonnet the speaker questions his religion as he asks “Not to true, but painted chair?” (Herbert 5). In the essay “Allusion and Meaning in Herbert’s Jordan I” by D.M. Hill states that the chair is a reference to God’s throne. I believe the imagery used in this passage is meant to paint over religion to give it a glorified image. Furthermore, it is referring to the speaker’s struggle to accept his religion because he is questioning if he is celebrating an invisible humble God or a glorified God. The essayist Hill, states that “painting and poetry as being at the third remove from the truth” (Hill 347). Furthermore, Hill indicates that the term painting has the connotation of being untruthful, which demonstrates how the speaker does not know who God is. Nonetheless, imagery highlights how the speaker questions his love’s ability. The speaker asks “Must purling streams refresh a lover’s loves?” (Herbert 8). The imagery found in this passage refers to the Christian act of baptism where the water washes away all sins. However, the speaker questions if people can be cleansed and ultimately he is questioning his love for his religion. Furthermore, imagery is questioning the speaker 's love as he doubts their sacred acts. Lastly, imagery is used to depict the Garden of Eden but in a different view. The speaker asks “Is it no verse, except enchanted groves / And sudden arbors

When the speaker explains how he wants to write a verse for his loved one he ultimately “sought fit words to paint the blackest face of woe,” (Sidney 5). The symbolism found in this passage is indicating how the speaker wants his love to grieve as the term “Blackest” symbolizes death, grief and sorrow (Sidney 5). Furthermore, the speaker wants his loved one to fall into a melancholy state. Moreover, the text questions the speakers love because he does not want her to cry for happiness but out of sorrow. As the reader continues to read the sonnet, symbolism indicates how the speaker cannot write. Astrophil was “great with child to speak, and helpless in my throes,” (Sidney 12). As mentioned in class, the symbolism found in this passage indicates how Astrophil has many ideas to convey his love, but he is unable to write them down on paper. This symbolism suggests how the speaker is questioning his love because he cannot explain his love. Consequently, the speaker is unable to confirm his love. Astrophil you are a “‘Fool,’ said my Muse to me, ‘look in thy heart and write.” (Sidney 14). Symbolism indicates how Astrophil has not been looking in his heart to write about his feelings; however, he has been. Although, Lanham states that Astrophil does "look in his heart some of the time. At other times, he looks at the world and draws his strategy from there" (Lanham