Sonnet one
Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show,
That she (dear she) might take some pleasure of my pain;
Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know;
Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain;
I sought fit words to paint the blackest face of woe,
Studying inventions fine, her wits to entertain;
Oft turning others’ leaves, to see if thence would flow
Some fresh and fruitful showers upon my sunburnt brain.
But words came halting forth, wanting invention’s stay;
Invention, nature’s child, fled step-dame study’s blows,
And others’ feet still seemed but strangers in my way.
Thus, great with child to speak, and helpless in my throes,
Biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite,
‘Fool,’ said my muse to me, ‘look in thy heart and write.
Summary and Analysis:-
The opening sonnet of Philip Sidney’s sonnet sequence Astrophil and Stella gives the reason behind writing the whole sonnet sequence. This sonnet which depicts the way of encouragement Sidney got to write the sonnet sequence, acts as the mirror of Astrophil and Stella.
Sidney believes that if his beloved will read his sonnets she would come to know his love and affection for her and would return his affection. Again he write that her pleasure is hidden in his pain which ultimately make her read the sonnets and reading the sonnets make her to realize the height of his love for her, which make her pity and the pity would turn into love and affection for him.
Now Sir Sidney write about the problems he faced in expressing his emotion and pain while writing the sonnet sequence. And for this he had done unsuccessful attempts by looking upon the works of other poets to get inspiration. Finally he decided to write from his heart as this is the perfect way to fully express his love for Stella.
Sonnet-15
You that do search for every purling spring
Which from the ribs of old Parnassus flows;
And every flower, not sweet perhaps, which grows
Near thereabouts into your poesy wring;
You that do dictionary's method bring
Into your rhymes, running in rattling rows;
You that poor Petrarch's long-deceased woes
With new-born sighs and denizened wit do sing:
You take wrong ways, those far-fet helps be such
As do bewray a want of inward touch,
And sure at length stol'n goods do come to light.
But if (both for your love and skill) your name
You seek to nurse at fullest breasts of fame,
Stella behold, and then begin to endite.
Which from the ribs of old Parnassus flows;
And every flower, not sweet perhaps, which grows
Near thereabouts into your poesy wring;
You that do dictionary's method bring
Into your rhymes, running in rattling rows;
You that poor Petrarch's long-deceased woes
With new-born sighs and denizened wit do sing:
You take wrong ways, those far-fet helps be such
As do bewray a want of inward touch,
And sure at length stol'n goods do come to light.
But if (both for your love and skill) your name
You seek to nurse at fullest breasts of fame,
Stella behold, and then begin to endite.
This sonnet is a little bit related with the sonnet no 3 & 6. So I suggest you to go through them first. The author is demanding help from spring (i.e. ancient poets), which is flowing from mount Parnassus. The poets from whom he is requesting help, write with pearls (i.e. they write with decorative words). Astrophil is not sure whether these poets uses ancient mythology or dictionary to find rhymes. But he is pretty sure that they are at wrong route. That's why he does not need to take help from other poets to express true feeling. He suggests that the only thing they need to write is a single look at Stella.
