WEEK 10 Lecture THE Fairie Queen 7-12 PDF

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Micro on the macro, FRADUBIO/FRAELISSA, moral allegory of mistake, REDCROSSE’S CONSTANT FAILURES- not the conventional epic hero ...

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WEEK 10 LECTURE EN101 THE EPIC TRADITION THE FAERIE QUEEN BOOK 1 CANTO 7-12 • • • • • • • •

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Continuously challenges the readers to look at the significance of small details Micro on the macro Use of classical literature Allegory- usually defined as an extended metaphor Interaction between cluster of metaphors Literal level – events, characters, how does the narrative work? Structure? Narrative voice? Imagery? Historical/political allegory- age of reformation, Catholicism vs Protestantism, monster of Errour- error of theodicy Moral/Religious allegory- personified/represented by their action, doesn’t concern themselves with specific events, exploring human virtues and vices, Sidney’s distinction between historian and philosopher Cleopolis- religious allegory, fairest city on Earth, “sprung out from English race”, in this life New Jerusalem- moral/religious allegory, fairest city in Heaven, life to come, those chosen by God’s grace Redcrosse- journey of spiritual regeneration Virtuous life is not enough- still need final judgement from God to enter Heaven

FRADUBIO/FRAELISSA • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Setting- pastoral poetry Idyllic environment- sets the scene for seduction Imitation of Virgilian passage in Aeneid 3.27-46 Imitation of classical literature- central to Renaissance poetry, indicator of your learning and skill of poet, tool to manipulate the reader Speech of Polydorus and Fradubio Repetition of “fly” Polydorus- human tragedy Both suspended between life and death Trees- speak of treachery, reveals the duality of appearance Redcrosse bears similar duties to Aeneas Intertextuality- invites us to make connections, first in many supernatural warnings that guide Redcrosse along his way Difference between Virgilian and Spenserian model Duessa is present while Fraelissa isn’t in the Aeneid Dramatic tension in the scene that was absent in Virgilian episode Characteristic trait of Redcrosse- doesn’t listen to advice Polydorus- entirely innocent while Fradubio is at fault for listening to Duessa 1.2.37, 1.2.38 Fradubio allowed one woman to raise doubt in him about another woman’s beauty Let this doubt cloud his judgement Allegorical figure- what is Fradubio’s mistake on an abstract level?

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16th/17th century struggle- transition from Protestantism to Catholicism, Fradubio was swayed by the lavish beauty of Catholic churches and disregarded the true religion of Protestantism Mistake as a moral allegory- doubts his true faith and of religion itself, his mistake prefigures the mistake Redcrosse makes, doubts his innocence and leaves Una when she is accused, men vs women’s sexual activity represented Duessa already planted seeds of doubt in Redcrosse, reflects part of his own inner lightDuessa is a mechanism for precipitating the fall in the narrative action Redcrosse goes to the extreme point of losing his faith- almost kills himself in Canto 9, ultimate point of doubt No single occasion does Redcrosse save himself without external help Careful comparison to Virgil- emphasises the importance of the episode Suggests that Redcrosse as an epic hero is modelled on Aenaes and sets the standard for English epic heroes Question of mistakes, doubt and disbelief – leads to disaster

MORAL ALLEGORY OF MISTAKE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Wait until Canto 8 to finally see Duessa’s real appearance Difference with Redcrosse as the hero in Book 1 and his superiority over other male characters in the poem 1.2.40- “A filthy houle old woman I did vew, that ever to have toucht her, I did deadly rew” 1.2.41- “Her neather partes misshapen…” Disrobes her purple robe- purple the colour of Catholic church 1.8.46-47: “purple pall” 1.8.48- “Her neather parts, the shame of all her kind…” Description of Duessa- from head to toe, highly sexualised, total inversion of the romantic sonnet 1.8.49- “Such is the face of falsehood, such the sigh of foul Duessa” Redcrosse saw her appearance by chance with the help of Una- has the power to actively strip her from her glamour and revealing her true nature Redcrosse and Una- human characters that are more capable than the supernatural characters Fradubio’s mistake- plants him in one place forever, consequences of mistakes Redcrosse will end up the same way if he continues to listen to Duessa Doubt- allows the devil to stray them away from God to the complete loss of faith in God Fradubio- loss of true love of God, Redcrosse on the same dangerous path Needs a lot of guidance and goes through painful journey of learning Fraelissa- meaning frailty/weakness, of human and specifically women’s nature Fraelissa- mirror of Una Una- also set as extremely beautiful, but hidden under a veil until she is revealed later on 1.12.22-23: “So faire and fresh, as freshest flower in May…and glorious ight of her sunshine face…” 1.3.4: “In secret shadow, farre from all mens sight…Did never mortall eye behold such heavenly grace” Real beauty of truth is not for everyone- only for the select few who choose God

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Redcrosse’ struggle to falsehood- capable of victory over falsehood due to superiority over Fradubio Spenser- condenses all the important details and themes into a seemingly irrelevant episode Redcrosse- promised a place in New Jerusalem Coming-of-age poem? Becomes a fully-fledged ideal adult and knight But still doesn’t defeat allegorical vices without the help of others Redcrosse’s life now in the hands of God- his failures and just as much as his victories

REDCROSSE’S CONSTANT FAILURES • • • • • • • • •

Search for true holiness is a difficult task Contrast between Una and Duessa- true and duplicity, central in Book 1, shows how difficult it is to discern true religion over falsehood Readers are supposed to learn to recognize falsehood when reading the poem Archimago and Duessa- are not actually killed but disappear at the end Still a shadow hanging over the happy ending Cannot reach complete perfection- we can always educate ourselves to spot falsehood but we can never be able to find it in all of its forms Redcrosse- not really as mature as he was when he started out in the beginning Can still be strayed away in the future, not resolute Sets out on his next quest with new knowledge but not necessarily still safe from deception...