Season 4 Podcast 158 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 9 Pt II Episode 24 “Gloriana, Queen of Fairyland.”

Season 4 Podcast 158 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 9 Pt II Episode 24 “Gloriana, Queen of Fairyland.” In the previous Podcast we learn of King Arthur’s lineage. As a child he was taken from his parents and taught the ways of knighthood by old Timon under the direction of the Magician Merlin. Even in his youth Arthur was anxious to serve God, queen, and county and make a name for himself in fairy land. King Arthur, referred to here as Prince Arthur for though he is of royal birth he is not yet a king, has gained much wisdom. He understands warfare. He talks about the uncertainty of earthly life, and those who put their trust in the arm of flesh and boasts of their own powers will be the first to fall. But all in vaine: no fort can be so strong, Ne fleshly brest can armed be so sound, But will at last be wonne with battrie long, Or unawares at disadvantage found: Nothing is sure, that growes on earthly ground: And who most trustes in arme of fleshly might, And boasts in beauties chaine not to be bound, Doth soonest fall in disaventrous fight, And yeeldes his caytive neck to victours most despight. Spencer is referring to a well-known scripture in Jeremiah 17: “Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.” The key to King Arthur’s power is his faith in God. Christians through the ages have used the stories of King Arthur to teach the heavenly virtues. King Arthur is a symbol of all the virtues. The Redcross knight tells Una to Make Prince Arthur her example. He uses the phrase “haplesse (or unlucky) joy, a stark contradiction. Was she unlucky because her parents were imprisoned by the dragon? Was she unlucky because she was deceived like himself by Archimago? Or was she unlucky because she chose the Redcross Knight to be her champion? But the Redcross Knight does add, in addition to making an example of Prince Arthur, to make example of myself now mated.” In other words, the Redcross Knight, like Prince Arthur, is also in love with Gloriana, the Queen of Faeries, who symbolizes both queen and country. The Redcross Knight confesses to his folly of “looser life, and heat of hardiment.” However as he pursued the Fairy Queen, heaven seemed to smile on him. Ensample make of him your haplesse joy, And of my selfe now mated, as ye see; Whose prouder vaunt that proud avenging boy Did soone pluck downe and curbd my libertie. For on a day, prickt forth with jollitie Of looser life, and heat of hardiment, Raunging the forest wide on courser free, The fields, the floods, the heavens with one consent Did seeme to laugh on me, and favour mine intent. Growing weary of his sport the Redcross Knight climbed down from his lofty horse. He lay on the soft grass using his helmet as a pillow. As the sweet moisture bathed all of his senses he had a dream or vision. A royal Maid lay down beside him and stole his heart. No sun ever shown on so fair a creature. For-wearied with my sports, I did alight From loftie steed, and downe to sleepe me layd; The verdant gras my couch did goodly dight, And pillow was my helmet faire displayd: Whiles every sence the humour sweet embayd, And slombring soft my hart did steale away, Me seemed, by my side a royall Mayd Her daintie limbes full softly down did lay: So faire a creature yet saw never sunny day.