Transcript The Faerie Queene - Faulkner University

The Faerie Queene
Sir Edmund Spenser
Sir Edmund Spenser
Born in 1552 in London
 Son of a poor family



Received excellent education thanks
to the patronage of Robert Nowell, a
wealthy landowner.
Studied at Pembroke College from
1569-1576

Earned B.A. and M.A. degrees
Sir Edmund Spenser
Appointed as secretary to the Bishop
of Rochester;
 Entered the service of the Earl of
Leicester, one of the most powerful
figures in Queen Elizabeth’s court.


Began a friendship with the Earl’s
nephew Sir Philip Sidney and together
with a few other friends formed an
poetical society.
Sir Edmund Spenser

In 1579, he published The
Shepheardes Calendar, a small
volume of 12 pastoral poems, which
established his reputation as an
important poet.
Sir Edmund Spenser

In 1580, he accepted a post as
secretary to Arthur Lord Grey of
Wilton, who was being sent to Ireland
as Lord Deputy

This was a decisive move for Spenser
because he remained a resident of
Ireland for the rest of his life.
Spenser
He held several official posts in
Ireland during the course of his life
there.
 He accompanied Sir Walter Raleigh
back to London in 1589 and
supervised the publication of the fist 3
books of The Faerie Queene, issued
in 1590.

Spenser
In 1591, several other works were
published in Compalints Containing
Sundry Small Poemes of the World’s
Vanitie.
 He returned to Ireland after nearly 2
years in London.
 He married Elizabeth Boyle in 1594.

Spenser
During the Irish rebellion in 1598, he
was forced to leave Ireland.
 He died in early 1599 and was buried
in Westminster Abbey.

The Faerie Queene

In a letter to Sir Walter Raleigh, he
proposed to write a poem in which he
would:

“ represent all the moral virtues,
assigning to every virtue a knight in
whose actions and chivalry the
operations of that virtue are to be
expressed and the vices and unruly
appetites that oppose themselves to
be beaten down.”
Spenser

Depicted first 6 virtues:
Holiness
 Temperance
 Chastity
 Friendship
 Justice
 Courtesy

Spenser
Published first three books in 1590.
 Second edition (1596) added the next
three.
 Plan for a second set of six books
resulted in only 2 cantos on the virtue
of Constancy.

Spenser
The poem displays Spenser's
thorough familiarity with literary
history.
 Although the world of The Faerie
Queene is based on English Arthurian
legend, much of the language, spirit,
and style of the piece draw more on
Italian epic.



Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso
Torquato Tasso's Jerusalem Delivered
The Faerie Queene

Spenser’s moral chivalry is sponsored
and sustained by the court of
GLORIANA, the Faerie Queene

She reflects the figure of Queen
Elizabeth, Spenser’s monarch
The Faerie Queene

Gloriana’s story is illustrated by the
actions of a character called Prince
Arthur
Only one who possesses all 12 virtues
 Intervenes at crucial moments to
assist Gloriana’s knights
 Seeks out Gloriana

• bride he has chosen in a dream
The Faerie Queene

Book I

Relates the adventures of the knight
of Holiness
• the Redcrosse Knight
• Sir George
• Identified by name
• Sign on his shield
• England’s patron saint
The Faerie Queene

Book I

His mission
• to overcome the things that drive spiritual
error which are menacing the English
church
• To deliver the parents of Una from the
dragon of false faith
The Faerie Queene

Themes of Book I
Good vs. evil
 Truth vs. false faith
 Protestant vs. Catholic

The Faerie Queene

Gloriana
Queen of “Fairy Land”
 Represents Queen Elizabeth


Arthur
Saves RCK (and other knights)
 Christ-like figure

The Faerie Queene

Redcrosse Knight
Knight of Holiness
 Devoted to fighting
against sin or evil
 Christian warrior

• Armor of Christ
The Faerie Queene

Una

Truth
• True church
The Faerie Queene

RCK must have true faith in order to be
a true Christian


Plot of Book 1 mostly concerns attempts of
evildoers to separate RCK from Una.
Spencer meant for most of these villains to
represent the Roman Catholic Church.
The Faerie Queene

Enemies of RCK
Error
 Archimago

• Wizard/sorcerer
• Shapeshifter/changes appearance
• Duplicitous

Queen Duessa
• Falsehood/lies (False Faith)
• Opposite of Una (Truth)
• Tries to lure RCK away from Una
The Faerie Queene

Enemies of RCK

Orgoglio
• (Italian for Pride)
Despair
 Many-headed Dragon

• Catholic church
• 3-day fight