Portesi 1 Kielyanne Portesi November 30 th, 2009 The Faerie Queene Throughout history man has sought to paint the story of the Christian life through characters forced to face a array of struggles and challenges. Book one of Edmund Spenser s The Faerie Queene is an all too vivid and emotionally realistic adventure created to tell the tale of newborn followers of Christ. Using his persistent attention to detail and consistent metaphors, Spencer elegantly weaves the world of The Faerie Queene around his audience, fictionalizing everyman s tale, making everyman the allegory. A metaphor with-in itself, The Faerie Queene is held together by the intricate web of symbolism and deeper meaning, but it is not only a multilayered story-telling which draws the reader in and pulls the Christian life into Redcrosse s adventures; it is Spencer s precise and thoughtful use of every word that makes this poem come to life. When the knight believes that his dear Una has betrayed him, the reader feels his hurt and anger. When he fails to defeat the giant, the reader aches with his disappointment. The reader finds with-in himself Redcrosse s every flaw and with his every victory the reader is given the encouragement to face his own dragons. And when, in canto nine, Desparye manipulates a wounded and weak Redcrosse, the reader finds his own logic challenged and his own weaknesses brought out to be scrutinized and faced. There is not a man or woman who would deny facing off with despair in their lives. The constant battle raging on the human heart can discourage even the strongest man and even the strongest man can find himself confused and holding a knife to his own chest. Redcrosse
Portesi 2 illustrates this weakened state and confusion when he comes to the cave housing Despayre. At this point he knight is ill-prepared to challenge his manipulative opponent. He has only just been reunited with his love Una, who is Spencer s symbol of truth and the true church, and is weak in body as well as spirit after having been beaten and captured by the giant due to a second bout of pride. Previously, in canto seven, Redcrosse foolishly removed his armor, over-confident after a duel in the House of Pride. Predictably, the knight is caught off guard and his pride is wounded as much as his body. The reader is able to relate with the knight s pain, undoubtedly having faced their own moments of foolish pride. Craftfully, to allow his reader further connection with Redcrosse, Spencer writes the second half of the ninth canto with dark and dreary words, painting the reader s mind with the same melancholy later used to bewilder the knight. As Una and Redcrosse approach Despayre s cave there is already sense of foreboding. They come to this place because they have been told the tragic story of another knight who had killed himself when convinced that the lady that he adored didn t care in the least about him and with wounding words and termes of foule reprieve / He pluckt from us all hope of due reliefe / That earst us held in love of lingering life (9.29.256-8). The thoroughly detailed environment does not help the already sullen and anxious situation, for death is everywhere around the dreadful cave. The narrator describes the path to Despayre s home, Drank, doleful, drearie, like a greedie grave and continues with this imagery of death by making allusions to Owle, the messenger of death (9.33.292). It continues into more gruesome detail, And all about old stockes and stubs of trees / Whereone fruit nor leaf was ever seene / Did hang upon the ragged rocky knees; / On which had many wretches hanged been, / Whose carcasses were scattered green, / And throwne about the cliffs (9.34.298-303). With each step forward Redcrosse finds himself in a darker and
Portesi 3 more depressing world and with each word the audience finds the cold seeping into their bones. A set up such as this, for the knight s already present wounds is vital for Despayre, who he goes to face, and the despair that the readers are faces with-in their own lives. With Redcrosse s heart and body weak and prepared for exploitation and deceit, Despayre s manipulation and half-truths quickly and effectively strike home. Spencer is as effective as his villain in twisting words and questions to confuse the readers and knight into thinking that up is down and down is up, or rather, that there is no chance for up so down should be embraced. The knight rides to Despayre s cave to avenge the death of the other who had come before him, who represents the failure that can befall any Christian, no matter how holy or bold and free. There is no time for defence when Redcrosse enters the cave because Despayre is already prepared with a logical argument of defense; What justice ever other judgment taught/ But he should die, who merits no to life? (9.38.335-336). In the following cantos, Despayre continues to tear down what is left of Redcrosse s securities and even pries on his mistakes, reflecting the guilt the readers might feel over their own sins. Using half-truths to manipulate logic Despayre tactically assures no other solutions than death to his questions in order to plant seeds of doubt in the knight, questioning him without pause for thought. The villain argues that the longer a man lives the more sin he gathers, failing to mention that good deeds come with time as well. He also argues to his weary victim that rest comes in death and that it is rest which Redcrosse want(s) and craves(s) but does not add that love and virtue are also things that the knight desires. The abuse of reason only worsens when Despayre goes begins referencing the Bible for support, Is not his law, Let every sinner die: / Die shall all flesh? what
Portesi 4 then must needs be donne, / Is it not better to doe willinglie (9.47.410-421). When thought through, though it is true that sinners are destined to die and that the flesh will fade, killing oneself as great a sin as any man could commit while living. Howerver, Redcrosse is not given the time to think it through and he comes to believe his enemies words. Consequently, this struggle urges the audience to search for the flaw in what Despayre says, so that they might save themselves. Spencer s allegories spoken by Despayre in canto nine are not the end of the manipulation; the verses themselves are written with the direct purpose of re-enforcing the perverted arguments. Beyond literally symbolism, the poem s words speak of a great artist s fine attention to detail, targeting his audience as much as his villains are targeting the knight. As Despayre is convincing Redcrosse that death is the only true, right, and pain free way, the readers are being secretly bound by contradictions of the text. While Despayre plays off of the opposites of life and death and good and evil, Spencer picks and precisely places his words to do the same. A subtle illustration of this can be cited in cantos thirty-eight where the word death, or a variant of, is used fifteen times and the word life, or a variant of, is used fourteen, only one less. The two are made almost equal and, what more, often put together in the same context. For instance, Despayre begins saying Or let him die, that loatheth living breath? / Or let him die at ease, that liveth here uneath? (9.38.341-342). The readers own eyes are caught in between the gray area that can be found between truth and falsity. This subconscious half-and-half design can be found in the characters as well. For instance, canto nine begins with the strong Arthur, who fights the giant and saves the day, and ends with the weakened Redcrosse, who must be
Portesi 5 saved from himself. Just like the knight is confused by Despayre s words without being aware of it, through these opposing combinations the readers are made ready for Redcrosse s failure long before it comes. Pulling the allegory away from the hidden symbols and undertones, Spencer turns his attention his audience by letting each detail of his words hold just as much purpose as they hold meaning, making his intentions hit, rather painfully, home. Due to all of these manipulations and true-lies, both the readers and the knight are lost to Despayre and the only hope for either is truth, as it is in life. Fortunately for both parties, Spencer has pure Una at the ready. The lady stops her knight before he has the chance to kill himself and disputes the misused logic with pure truth. Where Despayre assured the knight that killing oneself is not a sin, only what is meant to happen and the surest way to a sin free, ironically, life, fair Una asks In heavenly mercies hast though not a part? / Why shouldst though then despeire, that chosen art? (9.53.472-473). More quickly than the villain ever could have and with untainted truth, Una reminds her weary-laden knight that despite his mistakes and despite a life of strife ahead, he is chosen. This reference to being chosen is also an allusion by Spencer in relation to God s chosen people, his readers. Una is following the same tact as Despayre by turning to the Lord for guidance, only she is speaking His words without foul intent, and that shines through to the Redcrosse and the reader. The main of Despayre s reasoning was that in life man will only sin more and death will free him from disobeying God, but Una completes out that half finished thought and reminds her knight that life still has purpose. She asks him, Is this the battell, which though vauntst to fight / With the fire-mouthed Dragon, horrible and bright? (9.52.467-8). Though still shaken, his ladies words reach out to Redcrosse
Portesi 6 and he allows her to lead him out of the cave. Truth, real, pure truth has won out of the halftruths and perverted logic that Despayre created. The reader is carried away with the knight, finally given the chance to think of the argument as a whole, not just Despayre s half, and is saved by Una s and truth. As the couple flees, Spencer s clear message that a Christian should not wallow in their own misery but flee from despair themselves comes to light. The Faerie Queene tells the classic, and all too familiar, tale of a new born Christian sent out on their first task and making more than their share of mistakes along the way. Redcrosse is this Christian, starting out on his quest with pride and assurance, but quickly stumbling and straying from his path and from his Una. The readers follows him as he travels from one place to another, restless and wandering without his purpose. It is just before the end that he meets Despayre, when beaten and broken, but with Una again. Spencer has broken down his audience along with his character and gives a final test in the cave that is so full of lies. Meticulously detailed with his words as he is with his symbolism, Spencer pulls the reader into Redcrosse s story, making them the allegory.