Philip sidney

PHILIP SIDNEY

Sir Philip Sidney [30 november1554---17 october1586]is an English poet,courtier,soldier and an outstanding figure in the history of English literature of Elizabethan period.His works are ever memorable.Astrophel and stella, The Defence of poesy[also known as The Defence of Poesie  or An Apology for Poetry] and The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia are his nice creations.

Sir Philip Sidney was born at Penshurst place,Kent belonged to a aristocratic family.He was educated at Shrewsbury  and Christ church and also in Oxford University.He was the son of sir Henry Sidney and Lady Mary Dudley,eldest daughter of John Dudley,1st Duke of Northumberland .He was the eldest son of them.Like other poets, Sidney was also a successful Elizabethan poet.His creations were specially sonnets.He specially followed Petrarch and Ronsard to write his sonnets.As a greatest Elizabethan sonneteer, he wrote his sonnet to his mistress Penelope Rich.later their relation was broken off.Then he married Frances Walsingham in the year 1583.

In 1572 at the age of 18 he was elected as a member of  parliament for Shrewbury and in the same year he travelled to France as part of embassy to negotiate a marriage between Elizabeth- I and the Duc D’Alencon.He spent several years in Europe moving through Italy,Poland,Germany,Kingdom of Hungary and Austria.On these travels,he met so many intellectuals & politicians

Works;The Lady of May,one of the Sidney’lesser known works,A Mosque was written for queen Elezabeth.Astrophel and Stella-appeared in 1591 includes 108 sonnets and 11 songs.The usual rhyme scheme of the sonnets is abba,abba,cdcd,ee.The Countess Pembroke’s Arcadia,an interesting love story embodying the ideals of chivalry  is the most important work of pastoral romance towards the end of 16^th century.This work is an idealized version of Shepherd’s life with the story of jousts,political treachery,kidnapping,battles,and rape.After publication,it celebrates its great popularity,even William Shakespeare borrows it for the Gloucester,subplot of King Lear,parts of it are also dramatized by John Day and James Shirley.An Apology for poetry is also known as The Defence of Poesie and The Defence of Poetry  is the great critical essay in the history of English Literature.Here he expresses the general objections of poetry.He is inspired by Stephen Gosson to write this essay where he completes classical & Italian percepts on fiction.