Edmund Spenser

“ They stop to rest under some shady trees, On breaking a bough, the Knight discovers that the trees are two lovers, Fradubio and Fraelissa, thus imprisoned by the cruel enchantment of Duessa.
II. The Allegory: 1. Hypocrisy under a pious disguise is attractive to Holiness. Truth is also deceived by it, and shamefully slandered. Holiness having abandoned Truth, takes up with Falsehood, who is attended by Infidelity. Unbelief when openly assailing Holiness is overthrown, but Falsehood under the guise of Faith remains undiscovered. ”

“ He sets out upon his quest attended by a dwarf and guided by Una, mounted on an ass and leading a lamb. They are driven by a storm into a forest, where they discover the cave of Error, who is slain by the Knight. They are then beguiled into the house of Archimago, an old enchanter. By his magic he leads the Knight in a dream to believe that Una is false to him, and thus separates them. The Allegory: 1. Holiness, the love of God, united with Truth, the knowledge of God, is to deliver man from the thraldom of the Devil. Together they are able to overthrow Error ”

“ After a long time spent in Una's society, the Knight sets out to engage in the further service of the Faerie Queene.
II. The Allegory: Holiness, by conquering the devil, frees the whole human race from the tyranny of sin. It is embarrassed by the unexpected appearance of the consequences of its past sins, but makes a manly confession. In spite of hypocritical intrigues (Archimago) and false slanders (Duessa) , Holiness is united to Truth, thus forming a perfect character. The champion of the church militant responds cheerfully to the calls of duty and honor. ”

“ The Knight is healed by a bath in the Well of Life. On the second day the Knight gives the Dragon several sword-wounds, but is stung by the monster's tail and forced to retreat by the flames. That night he is refreshed and healed by the balm from the Tree of Life. On the third day he slays the Dragon by a thrust into his vitals.
II. The Allegory: 1. Mankind has been deprived of Eden by Sin or Satan (Dragon) . The Christian overcomes the devil by means of the whole armor of God (shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit, etc.) ”

“ The fate of the man (Fradubio) is set forth who halts between two opinions,—False Religion (Duessa) and Heathen Philosophy, or Natural Religion (Fraelissa) .
2. The Reformed Church, no longer under the guidance of Truth, rushes headlong into Infidelity, and unwittingly became the defender of the Romish Faith under the name of the True Faith. There is a hint of the intrigues of Mary Queen of Scots and the libels of the Jesuits on Queen Elizabeth designed to bring back the English nation to Romish allegiance. ”

“ The Knight flees with the dwarf from her house.
II. The Allegory: When the Christian Soldier is attacked by Joylessness, he has a far more desperate struggle than that with Infidelity, and comes out wounded though victorious. Joylessness when crushed by Holiness is restored by Pagan Philosophy. The backsliding Christian is warned in time by Prudence of the fearful consequences of sin, and hastens to turn his back on Pride and the other sins. The soul is led to dread Pride, not by Truth, but by its sufferings and other inferior motives. ”

“ Prince Arthur and Una are conducted by the Dwarf to Orgoglio's Castle. At the blast of the Squire's horn the Giant comes forth attended by Duessa mounted on the seven-headed Beast. In the battle which ensues Arthur wounds the Beast, slays the Giant and captures Duessa. Prince Arthur finds the Redcross Knight half starved in a foul dungeon and releases him. Duessa is stripped of her gaudy clothes and allowed to hide herself in the wilderness.
II. The Allegory: 1. Magnificence, the sum of all the virtues, wins the victory over Carnal Pride, and restores Holiness to its better half, Truth. ”

“ When Una shows a desire to hear from her Knight a recountal of his sufferings in the dungeon, and he is silent, being loath to speak of them, Arthur reminds her that a change of subject is best, for the best music is that which breeds delight in the troubled ear.
XLVI. In this passage Spenser follows closely the description of the witch Alcina in Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, vii, 73. Rogero has been fascinated by her false beauty, and her real foulness is exposed by means of a magic ring. ”

“ Study the battle as an allegory of the victory of mind over matter, of virtue over vice, of Protestantism over Romanism. 5. By what devices does Spenser obtain the effects of terror? Mystery and terror are prime elements in romance. 6. Find examples of another romantic characteristic, exaggeration. 7. Do you think that in his use of hyperbole and impossibilities Spenser shows that he was deficient in a sense of humor? 8. Observe the lyric note in iii and liv. 9. How does the poet impress the reader with the size of the Dragon? ”

“ The religious allegory signifies the extension of Protestantism through the outlying rural districts of England and in Ireland. Upton thinks that Sir Satyrane represents "Sir John Perrot, whose behaviour, though honest, was too coarse and rude for a court. 'Twas well known that he was a son of Henry VIII." Holinshed says that as Lord President of Munster, Sir John secured such peace and security that a man might travel in Ireland with a white stick only in his hand. ”

“ Una wandering in quest of her Knight is guarded by a Lion. With difficulty they gain entrance to the cottage of Corceca and her daughter Abessa, the paramour of Kirkrapine. The latter is killed by the Lion. Fleeing the next day, Una falls in with Archimago disguised as the Redcross Knight. They journey on and meet a second Saracen knight, Sansloy. ”

“ Describe the Cave of Despair, and show what effects are aimed at by the poet. 9. Compare with Despair Bunyan's Giant Despair and the Man in the Iron Cage. 10. Trace the sophistries by which Despair works in the mind of the Knight, e.g. the arguments from necessity (fatalism) , humanity, cowardice, discouragement and disgust on account of his past failures, dread of the future, of God's justice, and the relief of death. 11. Does Despair show knowledge of the Knight's past? 12. With what powerful truths does Una meet the arguments of Despair? 13. Where do you find reference to mediæval art? ”

“ The Harrowing of Hell was the mediæval belief in the descent of Christ to hell to redeem the souls of Old Testament saints, and to despoil the powers of darkness. It is the subject of an old miracle play. ”

“ The battle between Archimago and Sansloy refers to the contests of the Catholic powers with the Moslems. The whole canto also has a hint of the violence and lawlessness connected with the English conquest of Ireland. ”

“ The description of the wood is an imitation of Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, i, 37, Chaucer's Assembly of Foules, 176, and Tasso's Jerusalem Delivered, iii, 75. Morley sees in this grove an allegory of man's life, the trees symbolizing trade, pleasure, youth, etc.
69. The sayling Pine. Ships were built of pine.
70. the Loplar never dry, because it grows best in moist soil.
71. The builder Oake. In the Middle Ages most manor houses and churches were built of oak.
72. the Cypresse funerall, an emblem of death among the ancients, and sacred to Pluto. ”

“ Can, iv, 46, an auxiliary verb with preterite meaning; ix, 5, can=gan, began (Halliwell) .
Canon, vii, 37, a smooth, round bit (for horses) .
Carefull, v, 52, etc., full of care, anxious, sorrowful. ”

“ Reformed England, having destroyed the brutal power of Rome, is firmly united to the truth in spite of the intrigues of the Pope to win it back to allegiance. It then goes forth against the King of Spain in obedience to the command of Queen Elizabeth.
3. vere the maine shete, shift the mainsail, beare up with the land, direct the ship toward land.
25. out of hond, at once.
43. Of tall young men. An allusion to Queen Elizabeth's Pensioners, a band of the tallest and handsomest young men, of the best families and fortunes, that could be found (Warton) . ”

“ How does the knight feel and act while under Archimago's spell? 2. What becomes of Una? 3. How does Archimago plan to deceive her? 4. Tell the story of the lovers turned into trees. 5. Who was Sansfoy? 6. Describe the appearance and character of Duessa. 7. What did she have to do with Fradubio and Fraelissa? 8. What was the old belief about the penance of witches? 9. How only could the lovers be restored to their human shape? Was it done? 10. Who were St. George, Phoebus, Titan, Tithonius? 11. Explain the reference to Chaunticlere in l. ”

“ Point out imitations of Homer, Vergil, Lucan, Statius, Ariosto, Tasso, and Chaucer. 7. Explain the reference to the religious questions and politics of Queen Elizabeth's reign. 8. Where does Spenser use classical mythology—mediæval legends? 9. What references to the Bible do you find? 10. Try to make a mental picture of the Knight—of Una—of Error—of Archimago. 11. Is Spenser's character drawing objective or subjective? 12. Is the description of the wood in VII true to nature? Could so many trees grow together in a thick wood? ”

“ Observe that Faith teaches the Knight his relations to God; Charity, those to his fellow-men. 12. Explain the lyric note in l. 378. 13. Give an account of the knight's visit to the Hill of Contemplation. Explain the allegory. 14. Find a stanza complimentary to Queen Elizabeth. 16. What prophecy was made of the Knight?
Canto XI I. The Plot: The Redcross Knight reaches the Brazen Tower in which Una's parents, the King and Queen of Eden, are besieged by the Dragon. The monster is described. ”

“ Una feared that the dragon was not dead.
Questions and Topics for Study (Canto XI)
1. Describe the three days' fight between the Knight and the Dragon. 2. What advantages does each gain? 3. Study the Dragon as a type of the conventional monster of romance, contrasting his brutal nature with the intellectuality and strategy of the Knight. ”

“ At this juncture National Honor and Consciousness comes to the relief of Protestantism. There is personal compliment to either Lord Leicester or Sir Philip Sidney.
19. He feedes upon, he enjoys. A Latinism: cf. Vergil's Æneid, iii.
37. Phœbe, a surname of Diana, or Artemis, the goddess of the moon.
45. Spenser probably takes the suggestion from the fountain in the gardens of Armida in Tasso's Jerusalem Delivered, xiv, 74. Cf. also the fountain of Salmacis in Ovid's Metamorphoses, xv, 819 seq. ”

“ Plate, vi, 43; vii, 2, solid armor, as distinguished from the coat of mail, or light chain armor.
Pleasaunce, ii, 30, courtesies; iv, 38; vii, 4, delight, conversational pleasure.
Point, (1) ix, 41, appoint;
(2) ii, 12, not a whit;
(3) i, 16; ii, 12, (armed) at all points. ”

“ Spenser took suggestions for this stanza from Ariosto and Tasso.
51. faire Hesperus, the evening star.
55. the rosy-fingred Morning. This beautiful epithet of Aurora, the goddess of the dawn, is borrowed from Homer, Hesiod, and other ancient poets.
56. aged Tithones, son of Laomedon, King of Troy. Aurora conferred upon him immortality without youth, hence the epithet "aged." ”

“ The Reformed Church, weakened by Falsehood, is enticed by doubt and skepticism.
262. faire seemly pleasaunce, pleasant courtesies.
263. With goodly purposes, with polite conversation. This whole stanza refers to Mary's candidacy for the English throne and its dangers to Protestantism.
269. He pluckt a bough. In this incident Spenser imitates Ariosto, Orlando Furioso, vi, 26, in which Ruggiero addresses a myrtle which bleeds and cries out with pain. The conception of men turned into trees occurs also in Ovid, Vergil, Tasso, and Dante. ”

“ XIX. The uncovered shield represents the open Bible. The incident is an imitation of Ruggiero's display of his shield in Orlando Furioso, xxii, 85.
246. Your fortune maister, etc., be master of your fortune by good management. ”

“ Foolhappie, vi, 1, happy as a fool, "fortunate rather than provident" (Nares) .
Fordonne, v, 41; etc., undone, ruined, wounded to death.
Foreby, vi, 39, near.
Forespent, ix, 43, wasted, squandered.
Foretaught, vii, 18, either
(1) untaught, mistaught, or
(2) taught before, hence, perhaps, despised (Warren) .
Forlore, viii, 29; x, 21, forlorn, forsaken.
Forray, xii, 3, ravage, prey upon.
Forsake, xi, 24, avoid.
Forwandring, vi, 34, weary with wandering, or utterly astray. ”

“ Bever, vii, 31, the lower and movable part of the helmet.
Bewaile, vi, 1, cause, bring about. Use either forced, or an error (Nares) .
Bidding, i, 30, praying.
Bilive, or blive, v, 32, quickly.
Blame, ii, 18, hurt, injury, or blameworthiness.
Blaze, xi, 7, proclaim.
Blent, vi, 42, stained.
Blesse, v, 6; viii, 22, brandish; vii, 12; ix, 28, protect, deliver; pp. blest.
Blubbred, vi, 9, disfigured or swollen with weeping.
Blunt, x, 47, dim (of eyesight) . ”

“ Rusty, v, 32, rust-colored, bloodstained, filthy.
Ruth, v, 9, pity, sorrow.
S
Sacred, viii, 35, accursed—of ashes used impiously to receive the blood of the slain (Upton) .
Sad, i, 2; v, 20; x, 7; xii, 5, grave, mournful; iii, 10, firm, steady; i, 36, heavy.
Sallow, i, 9, a kind of willow.
Salvage, iii, 5; vi, 11, etc., wild, woodland (adj.) .
Sam, x, 57, together, same.
Say, iv, 31, serge cloth for cloaks (Halliwell) .
Scath, iv, 35; xii, 34, hurt, mischief.
Scor'd, i, 2, carved.
Scowre, ii, 20, run fast. ”

“ Battailous, v, 2, warlike, ready for battle.
Battrie, ix, 11, assault.
Bauldrick, vii, 29, a leather girdle for the sword or bugle, worn pendant across the shoulder and breast.
Bayes, vii, 3, bathes.
Beades, i, 30, prayers.
Beadmen, x, 36, men devoted to prayer for the soul of the founder of the charitable institution in which they lived.
Become, x, 16, gone to; became, x, 66, suited. ”