Analysis of Sonnet 90: Stella, Think Not That I

Sir Philip Sidney 1554 (Penshurst, Kent) – 1586 (Zutphen)



Stella, think not that I by verse seek fame,
Who seek, who hope, who love, who live but thee;
Thine eyes my pride, thy lips my history:
If thou praise not, all other praise is shame.

Nor so ambitious am I, as to frame
A nest for praise in my young laurel tree:
In truth I swear, I wish not there should be
Grav'd in mine epitaph a poet's name:

Ne if I would, could I just title make,
That any laud to me thereof should grow,
Without my plumes from others' wings I take.

For nothing from my wit or will doth flow,
Since all my words thy beauty doth indite,
And Love doth hold my hand, and makes me write.


Scheme ABBA ABBA CDC DEE
Poetic Form
Metre 1011111111 1111111111 1111111100 1111110111 1101011111 0111011101 0111111111 101100101 1111111101 110111111 0111110111 1101111111 1111110101 0111110111
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 611
Words 124
Sentences 4
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 3, 3
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 33
Words per line (avg) 9
Letters per stanza (avg) 114
Words per stanza (avg) 31
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

37 sec read
72

Sir Philip Sidney

Sir Philip Sidney was an English poet, courtier, scholar and soldier who is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the Elizabethan age. more…

All Sir Philip Sidney poems | Sir Philip Sidney Books

0 fans

Discuss this Sir Philip Sidney poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Sonnet 90: Stella, Think Not That I" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 4 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/35332/sonnet-90%3A-stella%2C-think-not-that-i>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    May 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    27
    days
    13
    hours
    28
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    Who wrote the poem "Ozymandias"?
    A Rudyard Kipling
    B Rainer Maria Rilke
    C William Wordsworth
    D Percy Bysshe Shelley