This is a traditional epic poem that attests to primordial love while illuminating a puzzling poetic composition. The speaker offers two perspectives on the poem's central subject of love in the poem. Evidently, the viewer is captivated by the poem's narrative. The speaker uses examples to show how love can be both beneficial and bad. Notably, based on the reader's perspective, the word choice makes the poem either self-deprecating or self-exalting. The poem heavily employs rhetorical devices from classical antiquity and concludes with a metaphorically established bit of advice. Notably, similar to many sonnet poems of the classical genre, this poem does break into a two-part structure. The first part comprises of eight lines while the second section has six lines. The reader is able to see that the turning poem of the poem occurs in line nine and it is introduced through the adversative "But..." Indeed, the initial eight lines of the poem bring out a motivation and the idea of love that is central to the narration as well as describes a failed technique. This is done in a classical epic manner. However, the last six lines of the poem build up a sense of an increasing agitation by the utilization of the metrical manipulation along with the subject matter of the poem. Notably, the last line of the poem that reads “'Fool,' said my muse to me; 'look in thy heart, and write'” is romantic and primarily builds an emotional advice (Sidney and Stella).
The syntax used in the poem conveys the underlining message embedded in the narration. Sidney and Stella employed a magnificent grammatical facet that is appealing to the reader and thus help to communicate the objective. In the first eight lines, the words form single periodic sentences that exemplify a rational relation to the cause and effect aspect. Again, the initial four lines encompass a dependent material factor. First, there is a complex participial phrase evident from the opening line that reads “Loving in truth and fain in verse my love to show” (Sidney and Stella). It also contains lengthy dependent clauses of purpose which are seen in lines 2, 3 and 4. These lines also have climax rhetorical figure that alludes to a linked staircase sequences moving from one aspect and leading to the other. For this reason, the primary clause is therefore deferred, yet it is fairly simple when it arrives in line five. From here, there grows another elaborative purpose as well as a particular phrase that turns into another dependent infinitive objective. This is manifested in line seven; “Oft turning others' leaves, to see if thence would flow” (Sidney and Stella). The authors use a delicate irony in expressing to the reader a feeling of hope. This is seen when the speaker says that this will culminate into something “fresh and fruitful” in line eight.
However, the second section of the poem depicts to contradict the first section. Notably, while the initial part of the poem does balance on a single independent clause, lines 9, 10 and 11 provide three independent clauses in a rapid succession manner. More interestingly, these are embedded in direct and lively words. In respect to this, the impact grounds the elaborated poised structural form along with a commensurate discharge of energy. The last three lines of the poem offer the reader with a lengthy sentence structure that is significantly filled with immense imagery that conveys the underlining message. Certainly, the line ending the poem is sternly an anacoluthon. This means that it fails to follow what comes before it properly. Besides, the adjectives and the participles that are seen in lines 12 and 13 including "great with child," “biting,” "helpless," and "beating" make the reader easily comprehend the poem and find its deeper meaning. As such, they syntactically owe an allegiance to the subject matter that is underscored in the main clause from which these words are dependent on it. They give meaning to "my muse" in the last line. This expresses emotional agitation which is highly prominent in the poem. Furthermore, this poem contains vocabulary words such as “step-dame” referring to step-mother and “halting” which refer to limping.
Metrics and rhyme scheme are also evident in this poem. Outstandingly, meter is seen in line six having an unusual twelve syllables. This line reads "Studying inventions fine, her wits to entertain" (Sidney and Stella). Also, the line "Some fresh and fruitful showers upon my sunburnt brain" contain words fresh and fruit which form alliteration. The word “showers” is a monosyllable. The rhyme scheme of the poem is given as ABAB ABAB CDCD EE. The authors gave the poem a rhyme scheme that reinforces the notion of emotional love. It also picks up speed that drives the poem into a climax. The poem also contains words that are of powerful imagery for example in the second last line which says “Biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite” (Sidney and Stella). This creates a vivid picture in the mind of the reader how the pen bites the speakers. Also, the metaphor is heavy used in lines 9, 10 and11 that bring out the deeper meaning of the classical epic modes.
Work Cited
Sidney Philip, Astrophil, and Stella. Sonnet 1: Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show. Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45152/astrophil-and-stella-1-loving-in-truth-and-fain-in-verse-my-love-to-show (Accessed on 21 October 2017).
