FARIE QUEEN -EDMUND SPENSER

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FARIE QUEEN

                                                                   -EDMUND SPENSER

v  Typical of works of past centuries, Spenser provides a poem, a sort of preview, at the beginning of each book, telling what it will concern. In Book 1 this "overview" says "Containing the Legende of the Knight of the Red Crosse, or Holinesse."


v  The poem explains that the Muse has asked the poet to tell the story of knights and ladies in Faery land. Although the poet feels unfit for the task, he still pledges to complete it with the help of Cupid the god of love and Mars the god of war. Finally, he asks the "Great Lady of the greatest Isle," the Faerie Queen Gloriana, to look on him with favor.


v  Book 1 chronicles the adventures of the Red cross Knight who represents the virtue of holiness. Canto 1 begins with a description of the Redcrosse Knight. The knight wears a cross on his shield as a memory of "his dying Lord," Jesus. Gloriana, the queen of Faery land, has sent the Redcrosse Knight on a task to defeat a dragon. He travels with Una, an innocent woman of royal descent, and a dwarf. The dragon has ravaged Una's kingdom, and she wants to help get revenge.


v  A rainstorm arises, and the travellers take shelter in a glade. Once the storm ends they search for a path in the woods but quickly get lost. They find a cave, and the Redcrosse Knight enters, although Una and the dwarf warn him the monster Error lives within. Error, a dreadful creature, who is half woman and half serpent, captures the knight easily. Una calls to the Redcrosse Knight to strangle Error. He does, and Error spews vomit full of books, papers, and serpents. The knight is shocked to see the serpents greedily drinking Error's blood and growing. But the serpents drink so much they destroy themselves. Una congratulates the knight on his victory over the monster.


v  The group keeps travelling and meets the evil wizard Archimago in disguise as an old man. He invites them to take shelter in his hermitage. They enjoy his stories of saints and popes. But after the travellers go to sleep, Archimago begins his wicked magic. He calls on Morpheus, the god of dreams, to plant false visions in the sleepers' minds.


v  The Redcrosse Knight has dreams of love and lust. He wakes, though enchanted, to a false version of Una who is actually a sprite sent by Archimago, trying to seduce him. He's repulsed and confused, since he thought Una was pure.

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