Arthur Character Analysis in The Faerie Queene

Arthur, who is a prince during the events of The Faerie Queene, is the same Arthur from British mythology who eventually goes on to become King Arthur with the help of the powerful wizard Merlin. Rather than appearing as the protagonist of any of the poem’s books, he appears as a helper figure in multiple books for knights like the Redcross Knight and Sir Guyon, sometimes accompanied by his loyal squire Timias. True to his legendary origins, Arthur is a larger-than-life figure who is not only one of the strongest and bravest knights in the story but also one of the most courteous and charitable. Arthur spends much of the story looking for the Faerie Queene, whom he saw in a dream, and like her, he represents an idealized version of Britain that was meant to reflect favorably on the real-world leadership of Queen Elizabeth.

Arthur Quotes in The Faerie Queene

The The Faerie Queene quotes below are all either spoken by Arthur or refer to Arthur . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Virtue, Allegory, and Symbolism Theme Icon

After him Uther, which Pendragon hight,
Succeeding There abruptly did end

Related Characters: Arthur , Sir Guyon, Alma

Page Number and Citation: 345

Explanation and Analysis:

This section comes at the end of a long passage that paraphrases an account of British history that Arthur reads in the castle of Alma. While it might seem like a strange diversion to pause the action of the poem for a character to spend a whole canto reading a book, in many ways Canto X is one of the most important cantos of the whole poem, since British history (both real and mythological) is one of the central themes of The Faerie Queene. The character of Arthur in the poem is a young version of the mythological King Arthur, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis cons

And after all, for greater infamie,
He by the heeles him hung upon a tree,
And baffuld so, that all which passed by,
The picture of his punishment might see,
And by the like ensample warned bee

Related Characters: Sir Turpine, Arthur , Serena, Sir Calepine, The Blatant Beast

Page Number and Citation: 956

Explanation and Analysis:

This quote describes the punishment that Arthur gives to evil Sir Turpine, who on multiple occasions refused to offer help to Serena and Sir Calepine as well as cowardly attacking Arthur. While most evil knights get slain at some point in the story, Arthur spares Sir Turpine’s life and instead strips him of all his knightly possessions and hangs him up as a warning for any other knights who might act discourteous or cowardly. While this might seem lenient compared to the treatment some other villains in the story get, it is a severe punishment in its own way, given Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officii

Arthur Character Timeline in The Faerie Queene

The timeline below shows where the character Arthur appears in The Faerie Queene. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...for him, she eventually meets a noble knight and his squire. This knight is Prince Arthur (who will eventually become the famous King Arthur). On his breast, he wears the likeness... (full context)

Prince Arthur is immune to evil magic and enchantments. When he approaches Una, he can tell that... (full context)

Una describes more about her situation to Prince Arthur, including how she is the daughter of a King and Queen who ruled in the... (full context)

...knight doubt her faithfulness and ride off. Having finished her tale, Una collapses, and Prince Arthur promises to comfort her and help her find her knight again. (full context)

The dwarf, Una, and Prince Arthur ride until they reach Orgoglio the giant’s castle. They blow a horn at the gate,... (full context)

...club gets stuck in the ground. While he is trying to bring it up, Prince Arthur smites off his left arm, causing streams of blood to flow out. The giant lets... (full context)

Angered by the magic Duessa used on his squire, Prince Arthur smites off one of the heads of Duessa’s mount. A sea of blood comes out... (full context)

Meanwhile, Orgoglio the giant has recovered and comes charging at Prince Arthur. He brings his club down hard on Arthur’s shield and believes it impossible that any... (full context)

Prince Arthur smites off Orgoglio’s right leg below the knee, and the giant falls down like a... (full context)

...to see the fall of Orgoglio. The squire captures her and brings her to Prince Arthur. Una thanks them for all that they’ve done for her and asks that they keep... (full context)

After searching around the castle, Prince Arthur and Una at last find a slow-moving old man who has the keys to every... (full context)

Prince Arthur tries the keys on various doors in the castle and finds great quantities of gold,... (full context)

Prince Arthur breaks down the iron door. He has to descend a long way in the dark... (full context)

Prince Arthur asks what they should do about Duessa, the source of all their recent misfortune. Una... (full context)

The narrator praises the knightly chivalry that led Prince Arthur to help free the Redcross Knight from his imprisonment. Eventually, it is time for Arthur... (full context)

Arthur talks about how the great wizard Merlin helped tutor him. Merlin told him that he... (full context)

The royal maiden filled Arthur with joy. They talked for a while, and when she left him, she revealed that... (full context)

Arthur and the Redcross Knight shake hands, bound in friendship. Arthur gives the Redcross Knight diamonds,... (full context)

...helmet. Just then, they see the proudest and noblest knight in the world is coming: Arthur. Pyrochles doesn’t have his own sword, since he has been using Arthur’s (which Archimago procured... (full context)

Arthur salutes the knights, but they don’t return the greeting. The Palmer explains to Arthur how... (full context)

Pyrochles and Arthur get into a fight. Pyrochles does indeed succeed in knocking Arthur around with his own... (full context)

Pyrochles and Cymochles both charge Arthur from opposite sides. Though they strike fiercely, Arthur’s shield stays strong. Arthur manages to strike... (full context)

Arthur’s spear breaks, putting him at even more of a disadvantage. The Palmer sees this and... (full context)

...aghast to see Cymochles fall, but he continues the fight. He ends up defeated by Arthur. Arthur says he doesn’t want to slay Pyrochles and offers him a chance to stop... (full context)

...looks for his missing equipment. The Palmer informs him of all that happened, and how Arthur slew the two pagans who were trying to steal Guyon’s things. Guyon is very grateful... (full context)

After Pyrochles and Cymochles are dead, Arthur recovers his stolen sword and returns Sir Guyon’s stolen shield back to him. Arthur asks... (full context)

Sir Guyon and Arthur make their way to a castle where the gate is locked. Arthur’s squire (Timias) blows... (full context)

Sir Guyon and Arthur beat the enemies away, scattering them like sheep. The enemies flee but return with a... (full context)

...ladies where Cupid likes to play mischief. The ladies are intrigued by the knights, and Arthur begins talking to one of them who wears a long purple dress. Her name is... (full context)

Eventually, Arthur and Sir Guyon leave the ladies as Alma leads them to the wondrous upper parts... (full context)

Alma leads Arthur and Sir Guyon through the sages’ rooms. One room is filled with flies that buzz... (full context)

...Britain. Caesar conquers the land, at the cost of great bloodshed. (The narrator foreshadows that Arthur will one day rise up against the Romans.) (full context)

...of Constantine’s children is Uther Pendragon (the legendary king who is famously the father of Arthur). Arthur, who is reading this book of British history, is surprised that it ends so... (full context)

...heaven to give to man. Just then, Alma realizes it’s late, so Sir Guyon and Arthur reluctantly pause their studies to join her at dinner. (full context)

Though the castle walls stay strong at first, Alma is worried. Arthur pledges that he’ll do whatever he can to help with defending the castle. He rides... (full context)

In response to Arthur’s offense, the captain of the enemies, Maleger, rides out on his tiger. He is followed... (full context)

Arthur rouses himself off the ground and starts fighting like a bear that just woke up.... (full context)

The next time Arthur defeats Maleger, he slices him through the chest with his sword. Surprisingly, no blood comes... (full context)

Finally, Arthur realizes that the earth is what keeps healing Maleger, so he carries him to a... (full context)

Arthur has been spending time at Alma’s castle and has finally recovered from his battle wounds.... (full context)

...temper cools, and Guyon and Britomart reach an understanding because they’re both honorable. They (and Arthur) decide to ride together. (full context)

Sir Guyon, Arthur, and Britomart travel together for a while, across many countries, having many adventures. One day,... (full context)

While Sir Guyon and Arthur are going to help the fair lady, Britomart stays behind, then eventually she heads off... (full context)

...injured him. Meanwhile Archimago the evil wizard has been stalking Britomart ever since she left Arthur and Sir Guyon (who were trying to help a damsel who was being chased). (full context)

Eventually, Arthur catches up with the damsel he’s been following, but she keeps fleeing, scared off by... (full context)

Still searching for the woman who ran off, Arthur wanders through a forest before he finally comes out and meets a dwarf. The dwarf... (full context)

Meanwhile, Arthur’s squire Timias has been busy defeating the lustful foster who was chasing Florimell earlier. The... (full context)

...it turns out, she’s in the same forest where Belphoebe was being chased by Timias (Arthur’s squire) earlier. Just as Amoretta is overtaken by the carle, Timias sees them and intervenes. (full context)

One day, Prince Arthur happens to come by seeking adventure, having heard of a hermit that lives in a... (full context)

Arthur, however, is still adventuring in the forest and doesn’t hear the good news about his... (full context)

Arthur wants to find the virgin, so he, Amoretta, and Aemylia go looking. They come to... (full context)

The narrator interrupts to note how, on the surface, it might seem improper for Arthur to be alone with two gentle ladies. But he says it’s like ancient times, when... (full context)

The next morning, Arthur, Amoretta, and Aemylia leave, but Sclaunder follows after them, shouting insults, until at last she... (full context)

Arthur goes to fight the man with the evil eyes. After a short battle, he ends... (full context)

...praises friendship, which, though different from love, is similar and virtuous in its own way. Arthur decides that he wants to help Placidas help his good friend Amyas, who is still... (full context)

...to the prison where Poeana is singing so sweetly about her sorrow that at first Arthur is captivated before he comes to his senses. Arthur sneaks up and captures her. At... (full context)

...Amyas is let out of prison, and both Placidas and Aemylia run to greet him. Arthur then leads them as they ransack Poeana’s castle, which turns out to be full of... (full context)

Arthur speaks to Poeana and convinces her to put aside her proud and lusty ways. He... (full context)

Arthur rides on with Amoretta. Eventually, they cross paths with a troop of six riders: false... (full context)

Seeing that it’s not a fair fight, Arthur joins on Britomart’s side. The other knights are so angry that they start attacking Arthur,... (full context)

...gentle maid (meaning Amoretta), and Scudamore regrets Amoretta’s loss even more. (Though Amoretta was with Arthur, she’s not at the scene of the battle.) Claribell asks Scudamore to tell the story... (full context)

...is being chased by two knights, who are being chased themselves by a third knight (Arthur). (full context)

...and asks for help. He responds by killing one of the knights chasing her, then Arthur kills the other knight that was chasing the damsel. Arthegall and Arthur ready their weapons... (full context)

Arthegall asks who the two knights they just killed were. Arthur doesn’t know; he just saw them chasing Samient. The damsel explains that she serves a... (full context)

...the two knights out to chase after Samient (where they were killed by Arthegall and Arthur). (full context)

The Sultan battles Arthur while mounted in his chariot. He manages to strike a serious wound on Arthur’s side.... (full context)

Arthur brings back the Sultan’s armor and hangs it up, enraging Adicia. She plans to kill... (full context)

Arthegall and Arthur spend some time enjoying the dead Sultan’s house before deciding it’s time to start traveling... (full context)

Samient leads Arthegall and Arthur to Malengin’s cave. When they arrive, Samient goes first and tries to call him out... (full context)

...Talus catches Malengin, he uses his flail to break his bones and disembowel him. Talus, Arthur, and Arthegall leave him to be eaten by vultures, then free Samient as they continue... (full context)

Arthegall, Arthur, and Samient finally make it to the court of the queen Mercilla. Many splendid knights... (full context)

...as guilty by all in the court and Mercilla regretfully allows her to be executed. Arthur and Arthegall remain in Mercilla’s court for a while. (full context)

...a monster he has. Two of the surviving children ask Mercilla for help. Mercilla sends Arthur out to help, while Arthegall goes off on his own separate quest. (full context)

Arthur arrives in the land where Belgae lives and sees it has been devastated by its... (full context)

Geryoneo is enraged at Arthur for defeating all his guards, so he puts on his armor in preparation for battle.... (full context)

At last, Arthur manages to land a strike that goes through all three of Geryoneo’s bodies at once,... (full context)

The monster tries to pry away Arthur’s shield, shouting curses as it goes. The two struggle, until eventually Arthur strikes the monster... (full context)

...day, however, the savage man is adjusting some equipment on Sir Calepine’s horse, and Prince Arthur and his squire Timias witness this. Three villains named Despetto, Decetto, and Defetto have been... (full context)

...Defetto, Decetto, and Despetto. Just then a knight rode in to the rescue: it was Arthur, who recognized his former squire. They reunited, and the squire shed some tears, and this... (full context)

Arthur and Timias believe the savage man has stolen his armor, and so they start to... (full context)

Arthur is moved to hear from Serena about the uncourteous behavior of Sir Turpine. They make... (full context)

Meanwhile, Arthur and the “savage” man go out seeking Sir Turpine as Serena described him. They go... (full context)

Sir Turpine accuses Arthur of cowardly slaying his men, then sends 40 new men over to attack him, but... (full context)

Blandina runs over and covers Sir Turpine with her clothes, pleading for Arthur to show mercy. Arthur holds off on dealing a killing blow. When Blandina backs away... (full context)

Arthur goes back to check on the savage man and finds him still ruthlessly attacking Sir... (full context)

...evil man that they heard about nearby, and Turpine points them in the direction where Arthur can still be seen riding off. The one knight calls to Arthur, then attacks him. (full context)

Arthur fends the knight off and strikes back with a swing that wounds the knight seriously... (full context)

...back to Sir Turpine and lies to him, telling him that both his partner and Arthur are dead. He and Turpine then go back to where Arthur and the dead knight... (full context)

Sir Turpine begins to quake at the thought of being punished by Arthur, so he makes plans to attack him while he’s still asleep. While he’s debating what... (full context)

The savage man shakes his wooden weapon. Just then Arthur wakes up and immediately sees Sir Turpine coming for him. Arthur gets his sword ready,... (full context)

...with Mirabella is a giant from the same house as Orgoglio (who was slain by Arthur in Book 1) named Disdain. He wields an iron club. The fool who leads her... (full context)

...captive by Disdain and Scorn, and she feels pity. They keep traveling and run into Arthur, along with a knight named Enias. Timias is embarrassed to be seen in such a... (full context)

Arthur sees Enias getting captured and flies toward Disdain. He tries to strike a powerful blow,... (full context)

...be forgiven. But the bottle leaks, and the bag has holes. As she’s saying this, Arthur looks at Disdain’s captive and is surprised to recognize his squire Timias. Meanwhile, the “savage”... (full context)

Arthur Character Analysis

Arthur Quotes in The Faerie Queene

Book II: Canto X Quotes

Book VI: Canto VII Quotes

Arthur Character Timeline in The Faerie Queene