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”