The Faerie Queene Analysis - 1558 Words

Mutable Times: Spenser’s Views on Change and Protestantism To change or not to change? Spenser suggests both in his epic poem, The Faerie Queene. This question simmers under the surface of this fantastical tale of missions and quests, knights and ladies, love and hate. In this epic poem, Spenser contends that change can be both good and bad, but is inevitably constant. This essay examines how The Faerie Queene, similarly to Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, is an allegory for love of the Protestant faith and the threat of change during the Renaissance. For a 21st century reader, it is difficult to step outside one’s sphere of post-modernity and examine Renaissance texts in a way that does not impose modern conceptions and interpretations. This is†¦show more content†¦A modern reader may not realize that, although the text is challenging to us, it would not have been for them. The modern reader may interpret the love present in Spenser’s The Faerie Queene as abusive, forbidden, and unhealthy because they are viewing it through their post-modern lens. My interpretation, which attempts to evade said post-modern lens, is that The Faerie Queene was not viewed as literature to be analyzed by students and their tutors, as we do in class now, but rather an epic poem enjoyed by the masses. Viewing the text in this way alters how you interpret its messages. Spenser based a plethora of scenes in the text on his own personal experiences, his Protestant beliefs, and the historical occurrences in England. Many of Spenser’s characters, who at first appear to be true heroes, are deeply flawed and subtly criticized throughout the text. It is by creating such characters, that Spenser can both criticize and endorse the idea of change and love during the Renaissance. What we may view as â€Å"abusive or unhealthy,† they viewed as passionate and flattering. One example of this is the love between Artegall, the hero from Book V, and Britomart, the hero from Book III. Artegall first encounters Britomart at a tournament where he loses to her. Upset, he decides to exact some vengeance, butShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Edmund Spensers The Faerie Queene1605 Words   |  7 Pagesas psychological issues that are related to Edmund Spensers The Faerie Queene using the passage from Book II, canto xii. This will relate to some of the separate Books virtues and will include discussion of the critical resources Harold Skulsky, â€Å"Spensers Despair Episode and the Theology of Doubt.† and Frederic Ives Carpenter, â€Å"Spensers Cave of Despair.† The deeper meanings and and virtues within the six books of The Faerie Queene, however, are a matter of interpretation and therefore tend to leadRead MoreAnalysis Of Edmund Spenser s The Faerie Queene 1362 Words   |  6 PagesEdmund Spenser, in his description of the epic poem The Faerie Queene, labels his work as a â€Å"dark conceit.† One of the most defining characteristics of the work is its difficulty to decipher – the reader discovers just as much a challenge navigating the world as the Redcrosse Knight. The challenge not only makes Redcrosse more relatable as a character, but allows the poem to serve as a teaching mechanism on how to comprehend scripture, which requires just as much effort to follow. In order to discernRead MoreAnalysis Of John Milton s Paradise Lost, The Faerie Queene1308 Words   |  6 Pages10) Discuss how any one long poem (Paradise Lost, The Faerie Queene) or two shor ter poems reflect and/or engage with contemporary political and/or religious upheaval. 2500 words. John Milton (1608-1674) was an English poet, historian and pamphleteer who was very much engaged in both contemporary political and religion. During his life Milton was politically vocal about a number of issues: Church hierarchy, Catholicism, The Civil War and the Monarchy. Milton in his earlier life was born intoRead MoreLife During The Renaissance Era997 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferent kings and queens came into power, many were forced to change ideologies simply based on the beliefs of these monarchs. During this time, literature was used as a way to protest these ideologies. 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So, what did I do with my college degreeRead More William Shakespeares Presentation of the Two Pairs of Lovers in Much Ado About Nothing 1857 Words   |  8 Pagesin a more sexually egalitarian society. Although appearances are still important, values are more dependent on self-analysis and self-knowledge. It is significant that the story of Hero and Claudio, the first of the pairs of lovers, is one that Elizabethan audiences would have probably been familiar with. Ariosto and also Spenser in the Faerie Queene had presented this love story as a tale of chivalry and high morality. Therefore the audiences of the time would beRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesï » ¿TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS The purpose of Text Interpretation and Analysis is a literary and linguistic commentary in which the reader explains what the text reveals under close examination. Any literary work is unique. It is created by the author in accordance with his vision and is permeated with his idea of the world. The reader’s interpretation is also highly individual and depends to a great extent on his knowledge and personal experience. That’s why one cannot lay down a fixed â€Å"model†