Red Cross Knight's Shield     Here is my understanding of what Red Cross Knight's shield would look like. The Red Cross that gives this knight his name also suggests the cross of Christ at the Crucifixion. The red color suggests the blood of communion as well as sacrifice. From the beginning, although the Red Cross Knight has much to learn, he has already achieved the status of Christ, which means that divine providence has foreseen his eventual triumph over the dragon or satan. Red Cross Knight also wears the sign of the cross on his shield as a reminder of the sacrifice. Remembering his own salvation is a problem for the Red Cross Knight throughout Book 1 of The Faerie Queene, and almost makes him succumb to Despair.

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