The Faerie Queene | The Faerie Queene

At a glance:

Author: Edmund Spenser
First Published: 1590
Type of Work: Poetry
Type of Plot: Allegory
Time of Work: Arthurian Age
Setting: England
Principal Characters: Gloriana, The Red Cross Knight, Una, Archimago, Duessa, Britomart, Guyon, Artegall, Prince Arthur
Genres: Poetry, Allegory, Epic, Narrative poetry
Subjects: Mythical animals, Sin or Original sin, Religion, Christianity, Good and evil, Kings, queens, or royalty, Ethics, Allegory, Dragons, Knights or knighthood, Chivalry, Fairies, Chastity
Locales: England

Gloriana, the Faerie Queene, was holding her annual twelve-day feast. As was the custom, any one in trouble could appear before the court and ask for a champion. The fair lady Una came riding on a white ass, accompanied by a dwarf. She complained that her father and mother had been shut up in a castle by a dragon. The Red Cross Knight offered to help her, and the party set out to rescue Una’s parents. In a cave the Red Cross Knight encountered a horrible creature, half serpent, half woman. Although the foul stench nearly overpowered him, the knight slew the...

The Faerie Queene | The Faerie Queene

At a glance:

The Story:

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