How does the following poem express the beliefs of the humanist movement? Sonnet 4 from Astrophil and Stella by Sir Philip Sidne
y Virtue, alas, now let me take some rest. Thou set’st a bate between my will and wit. If vain love have my simple soul oppress’d, Leave what thou likest not, deal not thou with it. Thy scepter use in some old Cato’s breast; Churches or schools are for thy seat more fit. I do confess, pardon a fault confess’d, My mouth too tender is for thy hard bit. But if that needs thou wilt usurping be, The little reason that is left in me, And still th’effect of thy persuasions prove: I swear, my heart such one shall show to thee That shrines in flesh so true a deity, That Virtue, thou thyself shalt be in love.
The passage emphasizes the fulfillment of worldly love.
Explanation:
Sir Phillip Sydney's sonnet "Astrophil and Stella" is a love poem that details the development of the love between the protagonist Astrophil and the beloved Stella. This collection of songs and love sonnets of 108 sonnets and 11 songs was written in the English sonnet form, expressing the love sequence of the two.
The humanists belief in the "real" rather than the virtual world. They are of the superiority of humanistic reasoning ability as the main source of human knowledge and refutes the claims of godly men claiming visions from God or anything divine. They do not accepts the claim of getting knowledge from God, and solely belief in the "human" entity and ability.
The passage from Sonnet 4 of the poem is an expression of the humanistic beliefs by talking of the fulfillment of the worldly love between the two lovers.
