Book I: Proem Stanzas 1-4

Faerie Queene Book I

"The Legend of the Knight of the Red Cross" or "Of Holiness"

Proem: Stanza 1

Synopsis: This stanza acts as a prologue to the entire poem and the beginning of Spenser's poetic "quest".

Unfamiliar word: areeds (7) means counsels or commands. The Muse tells Spenser to write about knights and ladies, not shepherds and pastoral themes.

Other literature: Alludes to the common Renaissance "prologue" of Aeneid where Virgil talks about going from pastoral poems (Bucolics; Georgics) to epics (Aeneid).

General observation: Spenser uses the stories of wars and lovers to illustrate moral truths.

Stanza 2

Synopsis: Spenser invokes the Muse Clio to help him write excellently about great heroes and virtuous women, especially Arthur and Tanaquill. (Gloriana/Elizabeth)

Unfamiliar word: scryne (3) is a shrine or place where valuable items are hidden. For example, it describes the store of knowledge from whence the Muse tells the story of Arthur and Tanaquill.

Other literature: "suffered so much ill" (7) alludes to Aeneid I which talks about Aeneas' struggles to found Rome.

General observation: Spenser's invocation to the Muse shows that this poem involved deep thinking and has a broad scope.

Stanza 3

Synopsis: Spenser invokes Venus and Mars to help him understand love and war for his poem.

Unfamiliar word: Heben (5) means dark black and can refer to something that is evil or poisonous.

Other literature: Cupid's friend carries a "Heben bowe" in Roman de la Rose.

General observation: Spenser's appeals to the forces of love and war show his desire to create harmony in this poem

Stanza 4

Synopsis: Spenser directly addresses his patron Elizabeth I to inspire him to write about the virtues of the ideal monarch and to read his work carefully.

Unfamiliar word: afflicted stile (8) refers to writing with humility. Spenser wants Elizabeth, whom he reveres, to read his work penned with humility, not to make him a legendary poet.

Other literature: Spenser calls Elizabeth a "Goddesse" (1) which refers to Psalm 82:1 where secular rulers are called gods as God's representatives on earth.

General observation: Spenser seemingly flatters his patron, but he actually looks at the greater reality and glory that Elizabeth's reign as queen is only a foretaste of.

"Helpe then, O holy virgin chiefe of nyne/Thy weaker Novice to performe thy will" (Proem.2.1-2)

New Blog Format: Faerie Queene Time!

Because of my new addiction to Tumblr, I have neglected this blog for quite some time. A trip to my friend's (and Renaissance man) dorm room changed that. I saw an annotated copy of Faerie Queene on his shelf and felt strangely drawn to it. I read the prologue and first few stanzas of Book I and remembered my failed attempt to read the book back in 6th grade. (Barely got past Red Cross' quest and didn't understand a word of it.) This sense of adventure and nostalgia inspired me to borrow the book.

Instead of letting it rot on my bookshelf, I started reading Faerie Queene on the last day of finals after quick reads of Twelfth Night and Hamlet to re-acquaint myself with the Elizabethan idiom. This blog chronicles my halting journey through the six lengthy books of the greatest 16th century poem written in English. Thanks to Hiroshi Yamashita, Toshiyuki Suzuki, and Shohachi Fukuda for their invaluable notes and annotations.

The format of this blog will be a close stanza/canto/book reading of Faerie Queene. I will write a short synopsis of the stanza, define and provide context for an unfamiliar word (because Spenser tried to find knowledge and truth through words), flesh out a connection with earlier literature, and end with a "general observation" on the stanza tying its content with universal themes.
Here's a facsimile of the Faerie Queene's original title page from 1590: