Spenser's The Faerie Queene Part 33

233. had not greater grace, etc., had not greater grace (than was granted my comrade) saved me from it, I should have been partaker (with him of his doom) in that place.

249. after faire areedes, afterwards graciously tells.

267. with dying feare, with fear of dying.

269. Whose like infirmitie, etc., i.e. if you are a victim of love, you may also fall into the hands of despair.

270. But G.o.d you never let, but may G.o.d never let you, etc.

272. to spoyle the Castle of his health, to take his own life. Cf. Eliot's Castell of Helthe, published in 1534.

273. I wote, etc. I, whom recent trial hath taught, and who would not (endure the) like for all the wealth of this world, know (how a man may be so gained over to destroy himself).

275. This simile is a very old one. See Homer's Iliad, i, 249; Odyssey, xviii, 283; Song of Solomon, iv, 11; and Ta.s.so's Jerusalem Delivered, ii, 51.

286. for gold nor glee. Cf. for love or money.

294-296. Imitated from Vergil's aeneid, vi, 462.

315. as, as if.

320. A drearie corse, Sir Terwin, mentioned in xxvii.

332. judge against thee right, give just judgment against thee.

333. to price, to pay the price of.

336. What justice, etc., what justice ever gave any other judgment but (this, that) he, who deserves, etc.

340. Is then unjust, etc., is it then unjust to give each man his due?

x.x.xix. Observe the subtle argument on suicide in this and st. xl.

xli. Spenser here puts into the mouth of the Knight Socrates' argument to Cebes in their dialogue on the immortality of the soul. Plato's Phaedo, vi.

367. Quoth he, Despair.

403. thy date, the allotted measure or duration of thy life.

408. thy sinfull hire, thy service of sin.

431. As he were charmed, etc., as if he were under the spell of magic incantation.

438. in a table, in a picture. The horrors of the Last Judgment and the torments of the lost were favorite subjects of the mediaeval Catholic painters.

468. fire-mouthed Dragon. The dragons of romance are all described as fire-breathing,

473. that chosen art, a reference to the doctrine of Election. Mark, xiii, 20.

476. accurst hand-writing. A reference to Paul's letter to the Colossians, ii, 14, in which he declares that the gospel of grace has superseded the law of Moses.

484. he so himselfe had drest, he had thus attempted (to take his life).

QUESTIONS AND TOPICS

(Canto IX)

1. Give an account of Prince Arthur's vision of the Faerie Queene. 2. Interpret his search for her as an allegory of the young man's quest after his ideal. 3. Observe in xvii an allusion to Spenser's patron, Lord Leicester, who was a favored suitor for Elizabeth's hand. 4. What presents did the Knights exchange at parting? 5. Characterize Sir Trevisan by his appearance, speech, and actions. What does he symbolize? 6. Note the skill with which Spenser arouses interest before telling of the interview with Despair. 7. What was the fate of Sir Terwin? Its moral significance? 8. Describe the Cave of Despair, and show what effects are aimed at by the poet. 9. Compare with Despair Bunyan's Giant Despair and the Man in the Iron Cage. 10. Trace the sophistries by which Despair works in the mind of the Knight, e.g. the arguments from necessity (fatalism), humanity, cowardice, discouragement and disgust on account of his past failures, dread of the future, of G.o.d's justice, and the relief of death. 11. Does Despair show knowledge of the Knight's past? 12. With what powerful truths does Una meet the arguments of Despair? 13. Where do you find reference to mediaeval art?

14. Find examples of Euphuism, metaphors, similes, Latinisms, and alliteration. 15. Explain the verb forms in ll. 154, 321, 336.

CANTO X

I. The Plot: The Redcross Knight is conducted by Una to the House of Holiness, where they are welcomed by Dame Clia and graciously entertained. The Knight is instructed by Fidelia, Speranza, and Charissa, the three daughters of Clia, in his relations to G.o.d and his fellow-men. He is healed in body, and undergoes discipline for his sins. Mercy conducts him through the Hospital of Good Works, where he sees her seven Beadsmen. He then with Una climbs the Hill of Contemplation and hears from a holy man the story of his past with a prophecy of his future, and obtains a view of the City of Heaven.

This must be p.r.o.nounced the most beautiful canto of the first book.

II. The Allegory: 1. The Soul is brought by the Truth to a knowledge of the Heavenly Life (Clia), and is led, through repentance, to seek forgiveness and to desire a holier life. Having learned Faith and Hope, it acquires a zeal for Good Works (Charity), and is strengthened by exercising Patience and Repentance. At last it enjoys a mood of happy Contemplation of the past with bright prospects for the future. The whole canto sets forth the beauty in a life of faith combined with good deeds.

2. The religious allegory presents the doctrine, discipline, and spirit of Protestantism in the sixteenth century. A close parallel may be drawn between this canto and many things in Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. For his House of Holiness and its management, Spenser has no doubt taken many suggestions from the great manor house of some Elizabethan gentleman.

19. an auntient house, the House of Holiness.

28. Dame Clia, i.e. the Heavenly Lady.

33. Fidelia and Speranza, Faith and Hope.

35. faire Charissa, Charity, or Love. Cf. I Corinthians, xiii, 13.

44. Hight Humilta, named Humility.

59. And knew his good, etc., and knew how to conduct himself to all of every rank.

77. ever-dying dread, constant dread of death.

78. long a day, many a long day.

79. thy weary soles to lead, to guide thy weary feet (to rescue them).

xiii. The description of Fidelia is full of biblical allusions, viz.; her white robe (Revelation, vii, 9); the sacramental cup filled with wine and water according to the custom of the early Christians (John, xix, 34); the serpent symbolical of healing power (Numbers, xxi, and Mark, xiv, 24); the book sealed with the blood of the Lamb (Revelation, v, 1, and II Corinthians, v, 7).

144. encrease is in the optative subj. with G.o.d as subject.

172. And when she list, etc., and when it pleased her to manifest her higher spiritual power. These miracles of Faith are based on the following pa.s.sages: Joshua, x, 12; II Kings, xx, 10; Judges, vii, 7; Exodus, xiv, 21; Joshua, iii, 17; Matthew, xxi, 21.

176. This line is given in the folio edition of 1609, but is wanting in the edition of 1590 and 1596.

209. hardly him intreat, scarcely prevail on him.