Publisher's Synopsis
Sir Philip Sidney's ""Astrophel and Stella"" is a collection of 108 sonnets and 11 songs, first published in 1591. The poems are written in the Petrarchan tradition, with the speaker, Astrophel, expressing his love for a woman named Stella. The collection is considered one of the most important works of English Renaissance poetry, and is known for its exploration of the themes of love, desire, and the nature of poetry itself.In the introduction to the collection, Sidney argues that poetry is the highest form of human expression, and that it has the power to move people's hearts and minds. He uses the poems in ""Astrophel and Stella"" to demonstrate the beauty and power of poetry, as well as to explore the complexities of human emotion and desire.Throughout the collection, Astrophel's love for Stella is portrayed as both passionate and frustrating. He is deeply in love with her, but she seems to be indifferent to his affections. Despite this, Astrophel continues to write poems expressing his love for her, and the collection ends with his acceptance that his love for her is unrequited.Overall, ""Astrophel and Stella"" is a powerful exploration of the nature of love and the power of poetry, and is considered one of the most important works of English Renaissance literature.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
