September 29, 2017

ENGLISH LITERATURE UP TO 1590 – THE FAERIE QUEENE


ENGLISH LITERATURE UP TO 1590 – THE FAERIE QUEENE


The Faerie Queene (1590, 1596): Spenser's Monumental Allegory

Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene stands as the crowning literary achievement of the Elizabethan age—an epic romance that fuses Arthurian legend, Renaissance humanism, and Protestant ideology into a dazzling allegory of virtue and nationhood.

1. Structure and Form

Unfinished Masterpiece: Planned as 12 books (6 completed), each representing a knightly virtue tied to Aristotle's ethics.

Spenserian Stanza: Innovative 9-line form (ABABBCBCC) with eight iambic pentameters and a final hexameter ("alexandrine").

Dual Narrative: Follows knights' quests while mirroring Elizabethan politics and religious conflicts.

2. Key Books and Allegories

Book I (Holiness): Redcrosse Knight (England) defeats the dragon (Catholicism) with Una (Truth).

Book II (Temperance): Sir Guyon destroys the Bower of Bliss (sensual temptation).

Book III (Chastity): Britomart (female warrior) embodies Elizabeth I's virgin power.

Books IV–VI: Explore Friendship, Justice, and Courtesy through interwoven adventures.

3. Central Themes

Protestant Virtue: Glorifies England as the New Jerusalem battling Catholic "falsehood."

Arcadia vs. Civilization: Contrasts pastoral idealism with courtly corruption.

Gender Fluidity: Britomart and Radigund challenge Renaissance gender norms.

4. Literary Innovations

Archaic Diction: Uses Chaucer-inspired language to create a mythic English past.

Cosmic Symbolism: Blends medieval bestiaries with Neoplatonic philosophy.

Meta-Poetry: The "Mutability Cantos" (unpublished) question cosmic order itself.

5. Historical Context

Colonial Subtext: Reflects Spenser's Irish experiences (the "salvage nation" parallels native Irish).

Courtly Praise: Gloriana (the Faerie Queene) idealizes Elizabeth I while subtly critiquing her reign.

6. Legacy

National Epic: Inspired Milton's Paradise Lost and Romantic poets.

Allegorical Blueprint: Shaped Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress and fantasy literature.

Critical Paradox: Celebrated for its artistry yet scrutinized for its imperialist ideology.

Spenser's labyrinthine masterpiece remains a cornerstone of English literature—a bridge between medieval romance and modern narrative complexity.