Philip Larkin's "Sad Steps" And Sir Philip Sidney Of Sonnet 31 From Astrophel And Stella: The Moon

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moon “can judge of love”, and can solve his love troubles, as a “
lozenge of love” (Sad Steps, line 11) would. Sir Philip Sidney's attitude
toward the moon is quite serious, which is also the tone of the essay. He
takes the moon very seriously, as if it were divine. He adds character to
the moon, as if it were a person. He describes the moon's “love acquainted
eyes” (line 5) and remarks how “wan a face” (line 2) it has. This imagery
makes the moon more real and praiseworthy, for how can you admire a person
without a face? The imagery adds a face to the moon for others to admire
as does himself. Philip Larkin's attitude toward the moon is quite
different, although there is a definite connection between the two poems.
Larkin's attitude toward the moon is quite bitter. Larkin is crude
and sarcastic in his poem when talking of the moon. He teases Sidney's
view of the moon, calling it a “Lozenge of love! Medallion of art!/ O
wolves of memory! Immensements!” (lines 11-12) when ...

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