Sidney employs Astrophil’s sexual discourse as a literary device to rebel against the Platonic love—and to corrupt its concept. While scholars still argue why he dramatizes the Platonic love, Sidney, more likely, masks his criticism against the strict religious canons of the England during the sixteenth century by employing the Ladder of Love. Although Astrophil and Stella is divided into sonnets and songs, these sonnets and songs tell a united love story. It depicts how Astrophil, who tries to obey Stella (who demanded a Platonic love), questions the meaning(s) of spiritual love proclaimed by Plato’s school of philosophy. Ironically, his questions of spirituality lead him to affirm his sexual
Sidney employs Astrophil’s sexual discourse as a literary device to rebel against the Platonic love—and to corrupt its concept. While scholars still argue why he dramatizes the Platonic love, Sidney, more likely, masks his criticism against the strict religious canons of the England during the sixteenth century by employing the Ladder of Love. Although Astrophil and Stella is divided into sonnets and songs, these sonnets and songs tell a united love story. It depicts how Astrophil, who tries to obey Stella (who demanded a Platonic love), questions the meaning(s) of spiritual love proclaimed by Plato’s school of philosophy. Ironically, his questions of spirituality lead him to affirm his sexual