The Faerie Queene Flashcards
What virtue is the topic of Book 3? Who embodies it?
Chastity; Britomart
From what Italian epic did Spenser heavily borrow?
Orlando Furioso
Who is “The Faerie Queene”?
Queen Elizabeth
Discuss allegory in this poem.
The world of The Faerie Queene is one of allegory. Characters aren’t just characters – they’re virtues. Everything has layers of meaning, many of them no so subtle.
In Book 3, the most obvious example is Britomart, who embodies chastity. Malecasta, the “Lady of Delight” who lusts after Britomart (thinking she’s a man) is lust. (Of course we get into all kinds of funny things thinking that Britomart has to inhabit a male identity in order to be chaste. Spenser seems to get into a little big of difficulty trying to merge his allegory with epic tradition.)
There is also Argante, a giantess who captures knights and represents lust.
How is Britomart introduced?
Prince Arthur and Guyon see a knight approaching them in the woods. Guyon fights the knight, and loses – this knight is Britomart.
Where does Britomart meet Redcrosse? Who is in charge there?
At Castle Joyous, where Britomart defeats a bunch of knights and inadvertently wins the lady’s favor. The lady’s name is Malecasta.
Who is Britomart looking for?
Arthegall
Where did Britomart first see Arthegall?
In a magic mirror given to her father by Merlin
Who counsels Britomart that she must adopt the disguise of a knight?
Merlin
Who does Britomart wound at a pit stop near the sea?
Marinell (Florimell’s beloved)
Who are Guyon and Arthur chasing?
Florimell
How were Amoret and Belphoebe conceived?
Their mother was impregnated by a ray of light
Who raises Amoret and Belphoebe, respectively?
Venue (Amoret) and Diana (Belphoebe)
Who is Amoret’s lover?
Sir Scudamore
What diety fails to seduce Florimell?
Proteus
What cities does Britomart compare to Troy?
Rome, and she predicts that a city on the banks of the Thames will become “New Troy” (Troynovant)
What happens to Hellinore?
Paridell ditches her after sleeping with her, but then she becomes a wife to satyrs
Who does Malbecco enlist to help him?
Braggadochio
What happens to Malbecco?
He is transformed into a monster - jealousy
Who has captured Amoret?
Busirane, who has her locked in a magic dungeon
Why doesn’t Scudamore enter the castle with Britomart?
He is unable to pass through the wall of flame surrounding it
What is an important change in the ending of Book 3 between the editions of 1590 and 1596?
In the original ending, Amoret and Scudamore are reunited when Britomart brings Amoret out of the castle. In the 1596 ending, Scudamore leaves before they come out, thinking Britomart has failed. This leaves Amoret and Britomart paired together, which will have consequences in Book 4.
Who is Britomart’s main foe in Book 3? Why?
Busirane; because he embodies all kinds of Un-Christian love – lust, deception, jealousy, etc. When Britomart meets him, he is not match for her, because Chastity/Christian love is so much greater than all of those things.
What is allegory?
Allegory, similar to personification, is the practice of imagining characters and places as direct embodiments of a virtue, value, idea, concept, etc.
