Comparing Unrequited Love In Sidney's Astrophil And Stella

Wyatt’s “My galley” and Sidney’s Astrophil and Stella are comparable in multiple aspects; however, the poems contains distinct differences from one another. Both Wyatt and Sidney include traditional sixteenth century themes within their writing. Traditional poetry themes of the period include poems with a male speaker in unrequited love, a lady composed of combined beauty and cruelty, and a continuous reference of a conceit. Conversely, each poem contains distinct differences in the format in which each was composed. Additionally, the concluding thoughts of the male character are displayed in opposing approaches. Within Wyatt’s “My galley”, he utilizes the galley as a metaphor for his infatuated love of an unknown woman. Wyatt illustrates

The male character declares that he is a “horseman to [his] horse, [but] a horse to love”. This line directs the audience to understand that love controls and directs the male character in the poem. Furthermore, though not highly referenced in the poem itself, audience can detect the presence of an unknown woman by the title of the poem. Astrophil can be chunked into the two Greek root words Astro and Phil; Astro meaning star and Phil meaning love. This can lead the audience to determine that Astrophil is the star lover and the male character in the poem. Likewise, Stella originates for the Latin root word meaning star. Referencing the root word meaning within the poems’ title, audience can determine that Astrophil is in love with Stella: the star lover and the star. This title also references the Renaissance period in which it was written. The idea of using root words for both the Greek and Latin languages displayed the humanism, global exploration, and classical education values of the sixteenth century. Finally, Sidney displays that the love of Stella is not returned in the statement “he sits me fast (tightly), however I do stir”. Audience can determine that when Sidney states he sits me tightly it is the control and denial of love; a horseman tightens the reins on a horse when he/she redirects the horse. Astrophil declares that I do stir; this references him still

A sonnet is defined as a poem of fourteen lines using any, of several, formal rhyme scheme. Wyatt wrote “My galley” using an Italian or Petrarchan sonnet. The poem follows the form of abbaaccadeedff. On the other hand, Sidney wrote Astrophil and Stella using an English or Shakespearean sonnet. This format includes three quatrains and a couplet. The poem follows to form of abbaabbacdcdee. The rhyme scheme is important to the overall meaning and composition of the poem because it helps create a song like pattern for the audience. Finally, the scheme emphasizes different lines within the poem; this helps the audience to recognize both pattern and importance between