Creative Engagement: Sidney Thinks Astrophil is a Sap FOSHO

Is it possible that Sidney thinks that Astrophil is a sap?

I am so glad this question happened to be posed as a creative engagement idea because this was a strong contender for the direction I was going to take my rumination. When reading this sonnet sequence, I found myself pausing and rereading every sonnet that spoke, not of Astrophil's infatuation with Stella, but of his disappointment or disgust with himself for being so weak to his emotions of love. If Sidney spent just one, or possibly two, sonnets addressing Astrophil's turmoil with being controlled by his love for Stella, I wouldn't think too much into it. However, Sidney makes it such a prevalent force in this sequence that it emerges as a very apparent secondary theme.

What makes me believe that Sidney thinks Astrophil is a sap, and not just a man struggling in love, is the way he has Astrophil make very clear of his preference of reason to love, and the negative way he views himself because he cannot find the will to ignore what his heart feels. It is significant to notice that he does not have Astrophil just reflect on his turmoil as "poor me," or "how unfortunate is it that I feel this way." Instead he has Astrophil continually take personal responsibility for being driven by love and not acting on reason, and expresses shame for it. Sidney's choice to have Astrophil deal with these emotions of guilt and shame for his love reflect his own views on how a man should handle emotions of this nature.

In sonnet 18 Astrophil says "With what sharp checks I in myself am shent,/ When into Reason's audit I do go,/ And by just counts myself a bankrout know/ Of all those goods, which heaven to me have lent;/ Unable quite to pay even Nature's rent,/ Which unto it by birthright I do owe;/ And which is worse, no good excuse can show,/ But that my wealth I have most idly spent." By having Astrophil not only feel shame in himself for being consumed with Love, but also to express being in love as such a petty waste of time, clearly shows Sidney's opinion of men who are overtly emotional like Astrophil.

If that wasn't enough to make his opinion of Astrophil clear, Sidney uses sonnet 21 to completely demean writings of personal love and his ability to implement reason, "Your words, my friend (right healthful caustics), blame/ My young mind marred, whom Love doth windlass so,/ That mine own writings like bad servants show/ My wits quick in vain thoughts, in virtue lame;/ That Plato I read for nought, but if he tame/ Such coltish gyres, that to my birth I owe/ Nobler desires, least else that friendly foe,/ Great Expectation, wear a train of shame." I believe that Sidney sees Astrophil as a weak man. When he references Astrophil's friends, which I would assume to be men also, he addresses them as though they have been able to avoid getting caught up with Love, therefore Astrophil feels the need to try to explain himself to them. Including this element of other men being able to implement reason to "reign in the horses of passion," reveals Sidney's belief that a man should be able to do this; and if he cannot, then he should feel great shame.

So to answer the original question posed, yes. I believe it is very possible that Sidney thinks of Astrophil as a sap. I do not think it is any coincidence that Sidney spent so many sonnets reflecting Astrophil's torment with being so easily comprised by love and unable to actively employ reason. Now this is not to say that Sidney may not secretly be a sap himself. He very well could be using Astrophil as a means of working through his inner demons. However I strongly believe that he thinks Astrophil, and men who are like him(possibly Sidney himself,) are saps.