The Faerie Queene Book I: Canto 9 - 10. What happens? Arthur explains his reasons for coming to...
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Transcript of The Faerie Queene Book I: Canto 9 - 10. What happens? Arthur explains his reasons for coming to...
The Faerie Queene
Book I: Canto 9 - 10
What happens? Arthur explains his reasons for coming to
Faerieland Redcrosse and Una come across Trevisan
whose friend was overcome by Despair Despair almost makes Redcrosse realise that
he’s rubbish and should kill himself They venture to the House of Holiness Then there’s the old man on Mount
Contemplation...
But what does it all mean??? Arthur:
From Western Wales (ix.4) the origins of Tudor lineage... Justification of Queen Liz (just like the Aeneid)
Arthur gives RC a liquid – like the Eucharist in Protestantism, another form of justification
RC as becoming a Christ-like figure (ix.19) The future of Saint George
But what does it all mean??? Despair
Redcrosse’s Despair is resolved by Una and the True Faith of God; he cannot learn to resist this (like Error) until he has learned his lessons from the House...
Described as a “Snake” – could remind us of Satan in PL, deceptive (ix.28)
But what does it all mean??? The House of Holiness
Primarily acts as a parallel to the House of Pride; works to raise the profile of Godliness
The members of the House... Caelia – as opposed to Lucifera Fidelia – Faith; shows Redcrosse discipline and the Gospel Sperenza – Hope; comforts Redcrosse out of Despair Patience and Pennance – purge him of sins (Remorse &
Repentance) Charissa – Charity; instructs him how to be better Mercie – “in the end his righteous soule might save” (x.34) X.37-43: Seven Corporal Works of Mercy
What does this scene do then? Letter of the Author... How to be a gentleman of true virtue
But what does it all mean??? (still...) Mount Contemplation
Presented with the view of the cities of both God and the Faerie Queene: Jerusalem and Cleopolis, respectively This puts Gloriana on the same standing as God; i.e. She has
created the ideal place Redcrosse learns of his Fate: he is really St.George (acts as
foreshadowing of the end of the Book, as we know the legend)
Now for a special note ... Arthur
“Full hard it is [...] to read aright/ The course of heavenly cause, or understand/ The secret meaning of th'eternall might/ That rules mens wayes, and rules the thoughts of living wight” (ix.6) May want to compare this to Paradise Lost – Milton wants to
reach a greater task
The House of Holiness Besides acting as a parallel with the House of Pride, as
mentioned before it works to show how a gentleman should behave: The progress through the members of the House and their
allegorical position He learns that he needs to learn this before he can defeat
evils alone
The Path to our destination is not always a straight one... Canto 10 includes
extensive descriptions of paths... Stanza 5, 10, 33, 35, 51,
55, 61 In Dante’s Inferno he sets
off as so: “Half way along the road we have to go,/I found myself obscured in a great forest” (Inferno 1.Canto 1. 1-2) This is very similar to (ix)
stanza 39 – “wearie wandring way”