THE FAERIE QUEEN

THE FAERIE QUEEN : 

THE FAERIE QUEEN BY EDMUND SPENCER

Edmund Spencer (1552-1599)*The greatest nondramatic poet of The English Renaissance *Influenced by Renaisance Neoplatonism*Christian humanist*Lover of physical beauty*Patriotic *backward- looking poet*skillful*altered the British poetry : 

Edmund Spencer (1552-1599)*The greatest nondramatic poet of The English Renaissance *Influenced by Renaisance Neoplatonism*Christian humanist*Lover of physical beauty*Patriotic *backward- looking poet*skillful*altered the British poetry

About Him*‘Poet’s poet’*’Who taught me homely, as I can, to make’*’a better teacher than Scotus or Aquinas.’*’writ no language’ : 

About Him*‘Poet’s poet’*’Who taught me homely, as I can, to make’*’a better teacher than Scotus or Aquinas.’*’writ no language’

What makes Spencer different? : 

What makes Spencer different? Spenserian sonnet Archaic language Original spelling Punctuation Rhymes Etimologies Musical effects

Slide 5: 

HOW A VIRTUOUS MAN SHOULD LIVE

The Great Romantic Epic : 

The Great Romantic Epic Publication of the book 1-6 1599 Extraordinary six-foot line at the end Nine-line stanza Portrayal of Roman Catholic Church as a villain It is an allegory characters have a specific symbolic meaning

CHARACTERS : 

CHARACTERS Arthur  -  The central hero who is searching the Faerie Queene, whom he saw in a vision.   Faerie Queene (also known as Gloriana) -She never appears in the poem, she is the focus of the poem; her castle is the goal of the poem’s characters. She represents Queen Elizabeth. Redcrosse - The hero of Book I; he stands for the virtue of Holiness. He is the individual Christian fighting against evil--or the Protestant fighting the Catholic Church. Una - Redcrosse's future wife. She is meek, humble, and beautiful, but strong; she represents Truth, which Redcrosse must find in order to be a true Christian.  Duessa - She represents falsehood and nearly succeeds in getting Redcrosse to leave Una for good. She appears beautiful, but it is only skin-deep.

Slide 8: 

Archimago  - A major antagonist in Book I. He is capable of changing his own appearance or that of others; in the end, his magic is proven weak and ineffective. Britomart  -  The hero of Book III, the female warrior virgin, who represents Chastity. She is a skilled fighter with an amazing capacity for calm thought in troublesome circumstances. She searches for her future husband, Arthegall, whom she saw in a vision through a magic mirror.   Florimell  - Represents Beauty in Book III. She is also chaste but constantly hounded by men who go mad with lust for her. She does love one knight, who seems to be the only character that does not love her. Satyrane  -The son of a human and a satyr. He is "nature's knight.

About The Allegory Itself : 

About The Allegory Itself Faerie Land Spencer examines the virtues Holiness – Chasity Dragon image Christian love: chaste resistance with the active love Religious conflicts tied to politics

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STRUCTURAL ANALYSES OF THE POEM

Slide 11: 

A romantic epic and a religious and historical allegory Completed 6 Books out of the intended 12 Books Puns and Multiple meanings The epic represented the following virtues: Book I: Holiness Book II: Temperance Book III: Chastity Book IV: Friendship Book V: Justice Book VI: Courtesy Many characters are representations of the real people in England at that time.

Spenser and Virgil : 

Spenser and Virgil 12 books in “Aeneid” Spenser moves from pastoral to epic just like Virgil Epic Heroism vs. Romantic Epic:Themes “Arms and The Men” vs. “Fierce warres and faithful loves”

Spenserian Stanza : 

Spenserian Stanza Epic form: nine line stanza Eight lines in iambic pentameter 1 line “Alexandrine” at the end in hexameter The rhyme scheme is abab bcbc c

Iambic Pentameter : 

Iambic Pentameter A line of iambic pentameter is five iambic feet in a row. One unstressed syllable and one stressed syllable. daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM ? / ? / ? / ? / ? / A gen - tle knight was prick - ing on the plaine. Shakespeare is famous for this method of writing in his plays

Alexandrine - Hexameter : 

Alexandrine - Hexameter 12 syllables Six metrical feet per line as in the Illiad. It was the standard epic metre in Greek and became standard for Latin, too. In Horace's satires and Ovid'sMetamorphoses. In Greek Mythology, hexameter was invented by Phemonoe. “O helpe thou my weake wit, and sharpen my dull tong.”

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Lo I the man, whose Muse whilome did mask, As time her taught, in lowly Shepheards weeds, Am now enforst a far unfitter taske, For trumpets sterne to chaunge mine Oaten reeds, And sing of Knights and Ladies gentle deeds Whose prayses having slept in silence long, Me, all too meane, the sacred Muse areeds To blazon broad emongst her learnt thronge: Fierce warres and faithfull loves shall moralize my song