Spenser's The Faerie Queene, Book ISpenser, Edmund
General
Spenser's The Faerie Queene, Book I
Spenser, Edmund
English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700; Knights and knighthood -- Poetry; Virtues -- Poetry
169. IDOLATRYES. The allegory has reference to the idolatrous practices of
the ignorant primitive Christians, such as the worship of images of the
Saints, the pageant of the wooden ass during Lent (see _Matthew_, xxi, and
Brand's _Popular Antiquities_, i, 124), and the Feast of the Ass (see
_Matthew_, ii, 14).
172. A NOBLE WARLIKE KNIGHT, Sir Satyrane, in whom are united rude untaught
chivalry and woodland savagery. He represents natural heroism and
instinctive love of truth.
173. BY JUST OCCASION, just at the right moment.
184. THYAMIS is the symbol of Animal Passion; LABRYDE of the lower
appetites; THERION, the human wild beast, who deserts his wife.
xxiv. This account of Sir Satyrane's education is based on that of Rogero
by his uncle Atlante in Ariosto's _Orlando Furioso_, vii, 5, 7.
213. MAISTER OF HIS GUISE, his instructor.
214. AT HIS HORRID VEW, his shaggy, uncouth appearance.
256. HIS FAMOUS WORTH WAS BLOWN, i.e. blazoned by Fame's trumpet.
308. A JACOBS STAFFE. According to Nares, "A pilgrim's staff; either from
the frequent pilgrimages to St. James of Comfortella (in Galicia), or
because the apostle St. James is usually represented with one."
371. See Canto III, xxxviii, where Archimago was disguised as St. George.
372. TH' ENCHAUNTER VAINE, etc., the foolish enchanter (Archimago) would
not have rued his (St. George's) crime (i.e. slaying Sansfoy).
373. BUT THEM HIS ERROUR SHALT, etc., thou shalt by thy death pay the
penalty of his crime and thus prove that he was really guilty. A very
obscure passage. Look up the original meaning of _shall_.
386. This simile is found frequently in the old romances. Cf. Malory's
_Morte d'Arthur_, ii, 104, and Chaucer's _Knight's Tale_, l. 1160.
416. According to a usage of chivalry, the lover wore a glove, sleeve,
kerchief, or other token of his lady-love on his helmet. By "lover's token"
Sansloy ironically means a blow.
425. TO HER LAST DECAY, to her utter ruin.
426. Spenser leaves the fight between Sansloy and Sir Satyrane unfinished.
Both warriors appear in later books of the _Faerie Queene_.
QUESTIONS AND TOPICS
(Canto VI)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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