Analysis of Sonnet V: It Is Most True

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



It is most true, that eyes are form'd to serve
The inward light; and that the heavenly part
Ought to be king, from whose rules who do swerve,
Rebles to Nature, strive for their own smart.

It is most true, what we call Cupid's dart,
An image is, which for ourselves we carve:
And, fools, adore in temple of hour heart,
Till that good God make Church and churchman starve.

True, that ture beauty virtue is indeed,
Whereof this beauty can be but a shade,
Which elements with mortal mixture breed:

True, that on earth we are but pilgrims made,
And should in soul up to our country move:
True, and yet true that I must Stella love.


Scheme ABAB BCBC DED EXX
Poetic Form
Metre 1111111111 01010101001 1111111111 111011111 111111111 11011100111 01010101101 1111110101 1111010101 111011101 1100110101 1111111101 01011110101 1011111101
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 634
Words 120
Sentences 4
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 3, 3
Lines Amount 14
Letters per line (avg) 35
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 121
Words per stanza (avg) 30
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

36 sec read
65

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…

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