Welcome to my page.  It was created to fulfill a poetry explication assignment for my Elizabethan Literature class at the University of Georgia.  The Fearie Queen is an epic poem written by Edmund Spenser and completed in 1590.  Book One of this lengthy work is an allegory about faith in which the Red Cross Knight, who represents holiness, goes on a journey to conquer the dragon, who is sin.
 

BOOK ONE SUMMARY

        The storyline follows the adventures of the hero, Red Cross Knight (RCK), and the distressed, but lovely Una (truth), whose parents are being held captive by a dragon.  RCK has been commissioned by the Fearie Queen to accompany Una to her parents’ land and to save them from the evil beast (Satan or sin).  Along the way, RCK faces many perils and challenges.  During his journey he fights viscious enemies like the monster Errour, falls into the deceptive traps of Archimago and Duessa, deserts Una, is taken to the House of Pride, and stumbles into imprisonment in a giant’s castle after being weakened from drinking from an enchanted fountain.  Una, along with Prince Arthur, then saves him only to encounter another monster, Despair, who almost successfully persuades RCK to kill himself.  Rescued again by Una, he then goes to the House of Holiness to recuperate and prepare for his battle with the dragon.  After his physical and mental health are restored, Una leads him to her parents’ castle where after three days of battle, RCK slays the dragon.
 

THE EPISODE OF SATYRANE

         This episode is one of the many adventures that takes place during the time that Una and RCK are separated.  An evil Sarazin, Sansloi, attempts to rape Una, but fails because a band of satyrs hear her screams.  Una stays with this group of forest creatures who adore her beauty to protect herself from other evils until a knight, Satyrane, appears.   He has come the woods to visit to his father, who is one of the satyrs.
         Conceived from his satyr father’s rape of a woman , Satyrane grew up in the forest among the animals and has the ability to control wild beasts.  He has been away in civilization living with his mother and is surprised to see a beautiful young girl with the tribe of satyrs.  He helps her to escape from their idol worship of her.  As they leave the woods, they encounter a traveler who tricks them into meeting Sansloi.  Satyrane battles Sanloi and Una escapes.
          In the allegory of faith where holiness battles sin (good vs. evil), Satyrane’s episode graphically demonstrates the theme of providence.  In its own microcosm, this episode parallels Red Cross Knight's entire journey in Book One.  Through images and the characters themselves, Spenser deepens his theme of providence and foreshadows the fate of Red Cross Knight.

(HINT: SOMETIMES "i" = "j"   AND  "u"="v" IN SPENSER'S WRITING)

TEXT:  CANTO VI,  STANZAS  20-47

It fortuned a noble warlike knight
     By iust occasion to that forrest came,
     To seeke his kindred, and the lignage right,
     From whence he tooke his well deserued name:
     He had in armes abroad wonne muchell fame,
     And fild far landes with glorie of his might,
     Plaine, faithfull, true, and enimy of shame,
     And euer lou'd to fight for Ladies right,
     But in vaine glorious frayes he litle did delight.

     A Satyres sonne yborne in forrest wyld,
     By straunge aduenture as it did betyde,
     And there begotten of a Lady myld,
     Faire Thyamis the daughter of Labryde,
     That was in sacred bands of wedlocke tyde
     To Therion, a loose vnruly swayne;
     Who had more ioy to raunge the forrest wyde,
     And chase the saluage beast with busie payne,
     Then serue his Ladies loue, and wast in pleasures vayne.

     The forlorne mayd did with loues longing burne,
     And could not lacke her louers company,
     But to the wood she goes, to serue her turne,
     And seeke her spouse, that from her still does fly,
     And followes other game and venery:
     A Satyre chaunst her wandring for to find,
     And kindling coles of lust in brutish eye,
     The loyall links of wedlocke did vnbind,
     And made her person thrall vnto his beastly kind.

     So long in secret cabin there he held
     Her captiue to his sensuall desire,
     Till that with timely fruit her belly sweld,
     And bore a boy vnto that saluage sire:
     Then home he suffred her for to retire,
     For ransome leauing him the late borne childe;
     Whom till to ryper yeares he gan aspire,
     He noursled vp in life and manners wilde,
     Emongst wild beasts and woods, from lawes of men exilde.

     For all he taught the tender ymp, was but
     To banish cowardize and bastard feare;
     His trembling hand he would him force to put
     Vpon the Lyon and the rugged Beare,
     And from the she Beares teats her whelps to teare;
     And eke wyld roring Buls he would him make
     To tame, and ryde their backes not made to beare;
     And the Robuckes in flight to ouertake,
     That euery beast for feare of him did fly and quake.

     Thereby so fearelesse, and so fell he grew,
     That his owne sire and maister of his guise
     Did often tremble at his horrid vew,
     And oft for dread of hurt would him aduise,
     The angry beasts not rashly to despise,
     Nor too much to prouoke; for he would learne
     The Lyon stoup to him in lowly wise,
     (A lesson hard) and make the Libbard sterne
     Leaue roaring, when in rage he for reuenge did earne.

     And for to make his powre approued more,
     Wyld beasts in yron yokes he would compell;
     The spotted Panther, and the tusked Bore,
     The Pardale swift, and the Tigre cruell;
     The Antelope, and Wolfe both fierce and fell;
     And them constraine in equall teme to draw.
     Such ioy he had, their stubborne harts to quell,
     And sturdie courage tame with dreadfull aw,
     That his beheast they feared, as tyrans law,

     His louing mother came vpon a day
     Vnto the woods, to see her little sonne;
     And chaunst vnwares to meet him in the way,
     After his sportes, and cruell pastime donne,
     When after him a Lyonesse did runne,
     That roaring all with rage, did lowd requere
     Her children deare, whom he away had wonne:
     The Lyon whelpes she saw how he did beare,
     And lull in rugged armes, withouten childish feare.

     The fearefull Dame all quaked at the sight,
     And turning backe, gan fast to fly away,
     Vntill with loue reuokt from vaine affright,
     She hardly yet perswaded was to stay,
     And then to him these womanish words gan say;
     Ah Satyrane, my dearling, and my ioy,
     For loue of me leaue off this dreadfull play;
     To dally thus with death, is no fit toy,
     Go find some other play-fellowes, mine own sweet boy.

     In these and like delights of bloudy game
     He trayned was, till ryper yeares he raught,
     And there abode, whilst any beast of name
     Walkt in that forest, whom he had not taught
     To feare his force: and then his courage haught
     Desird of forreine foemen to be knowne,
     And far abroad for straunge aduentures sought:
     In which his might was neuer ouerthrowne,
     But through all Faery lond his famous worth was blown.

     Yet euermore it was his manner faire,
     After long labours and aduentures spent,
     Vnto those natiue woods for to repaire,
     To see his sire and offspring auncient.
     And now he thither came for like intent;
     Where he vnwares the fairest Vna found,
     Straunge Lady, in so straunge habiliment,
     Teaching the Satyres, which her sat around,
     Trew sacred lore, which from her sweet lips did redound.

     He wondred at her wisedome heauenly rare,
     Whose like in womens wit he neuer knew;
     And when her curteous deeds he did compare,
     Gan her admire, and her sad sorrowes rew,
     Blaming of Fortune, which such troubles threw,
     And ioyd to make proofe of her crueltie
     On gentle Dame, so hurtlesse, and so trew:
     Thenceforth he kept her goodly company,
     And learnd her discipline of faith and veritie.

     But she all vowd vnto the Redcrosse knight,
     His wandring perill closely did lament,
     Ne in this new acquaintaunce could delight,
     But her deare heart with anguish did torment,
     And all her wit in secret counsels spent,
     How to escape. At last in priuie wise
     To Satyrane she shewed her intent:
     Who glad to gain such fauour, gan deuise,
     How with that pensiue Maid he best might thence arise.

     So on a day when Satyres all were gone,
     To do their seruice to Syluanus old,
     The gentle virgin left behind alone
     He led away with courage stout and bold.
     Too late it was, to Satyres to be told,
     Or euer hope recouer her againe:
     In vaine he seekes that hauing cannot hold.
     So fast he carried her with carefull paine,
     That they the woods are past, & come now to the plaine.

     The better part now of the lingring day,
     They traueild had, when as they farre espide
     A wearie wight forwandring by the way,
     And towards him they gan in hast to ride,
     To weet of newes, that did abroad betide,
     Or tydings of her knight of the Redcrosse.
     But he them spying, gan to turne aside,
     For feare as seemd, or for some feigned losse;
     More greedy they of newes, fast towards him do crosse.

     A silly man, in simple weedes forworne,
     And soild with dust of the long dried way;
     His sandales were with toilesome trauell torne,
     And face all tand with scorching sunny ray,
     As he had traueild many a sommers day,
     Through boyling sands of Arabie and Ynde;
     And in his hand a Iacobs staffe, to stay
     His wearie limbes vpon: and eke behind,
     His scrip did hang, in which his needments he did bind.

     The knight approching nigh, of him inquerd
     Tydings of warre, and of aduentures new;
     But warres, nor new aduentures none he herd.
     Then Vna gan to aske, if ought he knew,
     Or heard abroad of that her champion trew,
     That in his armour bare a croslet red.
     Aye me, Deare dame (quoth he) well may I rew
     To tell the sad sight, which mine eies haue red:
     These eyes did see that knight both liuing and eke ded.

     That cruell word her tender hart so thrild,
     That suddein cold did runne through euery vaine,
     And stony horrour all her sences fild
     With dying fit, that downe she fell for paine.
     The knight her lightly reared vp againe,
     And comforted with curteous kind reliefe:
     Then wonne from death, she bad him tellen plaine
     The further processe of her hidden griefe;
     The lesser pangs can beare, who hath endur'd the chiefe.

     Then gan the Pilgrim thus, I chaunst this day,
     This fatall day, that shall I euer rew,
     To see two knights in trauell on my way
     (A sory sight) arraung'd in battell new,
     Both breathing vengeaunce, both of wrathfull hew:
     My fearefull flesh did tremble at their strife,
     To see their blades so greedily imbrew,
     That drunke with bloud, yet thristed after life:
     What more? the Redcrosse knight was slaine with Paynim knife.

     Ah dearest Lord (quoth she) how might that bee,
     And he the stoutest knight, that euer wonne?
     Ah dearest dame (quoth he) how might I see
     The thing, that might not be, and yet was donne?
     Where is (said Satyrane) that Paynims sonne,
     That him of life, and vs of ioy hath reft?
     Not far away (quoth he) he hence doth wonne
     Foreby a fountaine, where I late him left
     Washing his bloudy wounds, that through the steele were cleft.

     Therewith the knight thence marched forth in hast,
     Whiles Vna with huge heauinesse opprest,
     Could not for sorrow follow him so fast;
     And soone he came, as he the place had ghest,
     Whereas that Pagan proud him selfe did rest,
     In secret shadow by a fountaine side:
     Euen he it was, that earst would haue supprest
     Faire Vna: whom when Satyrane espide,
     With fowle reprochfull words he boldly him defide.

     And said, Arise thou cursed Miscreaunt,
     That hast with knightlesse guile and trecherous train
     Faire knighthood fowly shamed, and doest vaunt
     That good knight of the Redcrosse to haue slain:
     Arise, and with like treason now maintain
     Thy guilty wrong, or else thee guilty yield.
     The Sarazin this hearing, rose amain,
     And catching vp in hast his three square shield,
     And shining helmet, soone him buckled to the field.

     And drawing nigh him said, Ah misborne Elfe,
     In euill houre thy foes thee hither sent,
     Anothers wrongs to wreake vpon thy selfe:
     Yet ill thou blamest me, for hauing blent
     My name with guile and traiterous intent;
     That Redcrosse knight, perdie, I neuer slew,
     But had he beene, where earst his armes were lent,
     Th'enchaunter vaine his errour should not rew:
     But thou his errour shalt, I hope now prouen trew.

     Therewith they gan, both furious and fell,
     To thunder blowes, and fiersly to assaile
     Each other bent his enimy to quell,
     That with their force they perst both plate and maile,
     And made wide furrowes in their fleshes fraile,
     That it would pitty any liuing eie.
     Large floods of bloud adowne their sides did raile;
     But floods of bloud could not them satisfie:
     Both hungred after death: both chose to win, or die.

     So long they fight, and fell reuenge pursue,
     That fainting each, themselues to breathen let,
     And oft refreshed, battell oft renue:
     As when two Bores with rancling malice met,
     Their gory sides fresh bleeding fiercely fret,
     Til breathlesse both them selues aside retire,
     Where foming wrath, their cruell tuskes they whet,
     And trample th'earth, the whiles they may respire;
     Then backe to fight againe, new breathed and entire.

     So fiersly, when these knights had breathed once,
     They gan to fight returne, increasing more
     Their puissant force, and cruell rage attonce,
     With heaped strokes more hugely, then before,
     That with their drerie wounds and bloudy gore
     They both deformed, scarsely could be known.
     By this sad Vna fraught with anguish sore,
     Led with their noise, which through the aire was thrown:
     Arriu'd, where they in erth their fruitles bloud had sown.

     Whom all so soone as that proud Sarazin
     Espide, he gan reuiue the memory
     Of his lewd lusts, and late attempted sin,
     And left the doubtfull battell hastily,
     To catch her, newly offred to his eie:
     But Satyrane with strokes him turning, staid,
     And sternely bad him other businesse plie,
     Then hunt the steps of pure vnspotted Maid:
     Wherewith he all enrag'd, these bitter speaches said.

     O foolish faeries sonne, what furie mad
     Hath thee incenst, to hast thy dolefull fate?
     Were it not better, I that Lady had,
     Then that thou hadst repented it too late?
     Most sencelesse man he, that himselfe doth hate,
     To loue another. Lo then for thine ayd
     Here take thy louers token on thy pate.
     So they to fight; the whiles the royall Mayd
     Fled farre away, of that proud Paynim sore afrayd.

The images and characters of this episode strategically expound and mirror the overall theme of providence in Book One.  Satyrs personifying lust in the deep forest tangibly demonstrate the problems lust can cause.  These images indicate the danger of lust that Red Cross Knight is susceptible to throughout the entire story.  Also the character of Satyrane, from birth to saving Una, patterns Red Cross Knight’s journey of fortune.  Like Satyrane, who was born from sin and grows to battle evil to save Una, Red Cross Knight progresses from the house of Pride to the House of Holiness, and eventually to slaying the dragon and saving Una's family.
 
 

REFERENCES/ OTHER LINKS:
 
                    The Edmund Spenser Homepage
                    Luminarium site for Edmund Spenser
 
 

PLEASE EMAIL ME @    cdiet@arches.uga.edu.