Astrophil and Stella - Philip Sidney Flashcards
1 - use of pleasure?
‘Pleasure might make her read,
Reading might make her know’
1 - studying…
‘Studying inventions fine….oft turning others’ leaves,
But words came halting forth; wanting Invention’s stay,;
Invention, Nature’s child, fled step-Dame study’s blows,
And other’s feet still seemd but strangers in my way,
Thus great with child to speak…..
‘Fool!’ said my Muse to me, ‘Look in thy soul and write!’
2 - lying to oneself through writing
‘To make me selfe believe that all is well
While, with a feeling skill, I paint my hell’
3 - in Stella’s face?
‘In Stella’s face I reade
What Love and Beauty be: then all thy deed
But copying be, what in her Nature writes’
4 - what does Virtue do?
‘Virtue…thou set’st a bate between my will and wit’
5 - what is ‘most true’?
It is most true, that eyes are formed to serve the inward light…
Most true, what we call Cupid’s dart
An image is, which for ourselves we carve…
True, that true beauty virtue is indeed,
True and yet true - that I must Stella love’
10 - what does Sidney wish Reason to do?
Wishes ‘Reason’ to ‘climb the Muses’ hill….Leave sense, and those which sense’s objects be; Deal thou with powers of thoughts, leave love to will’
10 - how does Sidney reconcile Reason to sense?
He has ‘good reason to love’ Stella
14 - what does ‘desire’ do to the ‘soul’?
‘Desire doth plunge my well form’d soul….[to] sinful thoughts, which do in ruin end?…
If that be sin which in fixt hearts doth breed
A loathing of false unchastity
Then love is sin, and let me sinful be’
15 - why and how does sidney struggle with his ‘knowledge’?
‘Unable to pay Nature’s rent, which unto it by birthright I do owe…
My knowledge brings forth toys;
My wit doth strive those passions to defend
Which, for reward, spoil it with vain annoys’
Interesting idea of ‘owing’ nature the advancement of knoweldge - as man’s purpose?
20 - what do ‘dusty wits’ do?
Though dusty wits dare scorn Astrology
I do Nautre unidle know….
Those bodies high raine on the low’
27 - in own compnay…
‘because I oft in dark abstracted guise
Seem most alone in greatest company….
Yet pride I think not my soul doth possess
Which looks too often in his unflattering glasse
But one worse fault, Ambition, I confess’
28 - denial of allegory in A and S
‘You with with Allegory’s curious frame
Of other’s children changelings use to make…
I list dig not so deep for brazen fame
When I say Stella, I do mean the same’
28 - pure simplicity vs allegory
‘I in pure simplicity
Breathe out the flames…wihtin my heart
Love only reading unto me this art’
33 - Paris and Helen denied
‘No lovely Paris madde thy Helen his…
Nor Fortuen of they forutne author is;
But to my selfe myself did give the blow….
THat I had been more foolish, or more wise!’
