Astrophel's Bed

Because so many of the sonnets are written about sleep (or lack thereof), readers can assume that Astrophel is presumably penning this sequence largely from his bedroom or his bed itself. While this setting is not made explicit, it does serve an important function in the sonnets as it represents Astrophel's feelings of alienation and gives him a foundation upon which he can ruminate about the night sky and the notion of darkness more generally.

Shady Grove

The "grove much rich of shade" (Song 8.1) is the place where Astrophel and Stella meet in secret after they have shared an illicit kiss. It is also the place where Stella ultimately rejects Astrophel and encourages him to give up on their affair. The shady grove is indicative of the clandestine nature of their relationship and their desire to keep it hidden from plain sight. The grove, described as "Where...