Florimell is a fair maiden who undergoes numerous misfortunes on her way to eventually marrying Marinell. She wears a gold belt, which she loses when she is attacked by a wild beast and which Sir Satyrane recovers. At one point, a hag creates a false version of Florimell that is so convincing that some people, like Braggadochio, believe it’s even better than the real Florimell. Florimell is attacked at sea and rescued by Proteus, but Proteus tries to woo her and eventually imprisons her in his dungeon. At last, however, Florimell is let out, and her marriage to Marinell is a grand event held at Proteus’s house.
Florimell Quotes in The Faerie Queene
The The Faerie Queene quotes below are all either spoken by Florimell or refer to Florimell. 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:
).
Book III: Canto IV
Quotes
Book III: Canto VIII
Quotes
Now when the Beast, which by her wicked art
Late forth she sent, she backe returning spyde,
Tyde with her broken girdle, it a part
Of her rich spoyles, whom he had earst destroyd,
She weend, and woundrous gladnesse to her hart applyde.
Related Characters:
Florimell, Sir Satyrane, Marinell, Venus
Related Symbols:
Florimell’s Gold Belt
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Book IV: Canto I
Quotes
Of lovers sad calamities of old,
Full many piteous stories doe remaine,
But none more piteous ever was ytold,
Then that of Amorets hart-binding chaine,
And this of Florimels unworthie paine
Related Characters:
Narrator (speaker), Britomart, Sir Scudamore, Florimell, Amoretta (Amoret), Marinell
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Book IV: Canto V
Quotes
Then was that golden belt by doome of all
Graunted to her, as to the fairest Dame.
Which being brought, about her middle small
They thought to gird, as best it her became;
But by no meanes they could it thereto frame.
Related Characters:
Florimell
Related Symbols:
Florimell’s Gold Belt
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Book IV: Canto XII
Quotes
Right so himself did Marinell upreare,
When he in place his dearst love did spy;
And though his limbs could not his bodie beare,
Ne former strength return so suddenly,
Yet chearefull signes he shewed outwardly.
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Florimell Character Timeline in The Faerie Queene
The timeline below shows where the character Florimell appears in The Faerie Queene. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Book III: Canto V
...he’s looking for himself. The dwarf explains that this woman is a fair virgin named Florimell.
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Florimell, according to the dwarf, is in love with the knight Marinell, but news has just...
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Meanwhile, Arthur’s squire Timias has been busy defeating the lustful foster who was chasing Florimell earlier. The foster flees Timias because he’s a coward, but as soon as he’s away,...
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Book III: Canto VII
Long after Florimell is safe from the foster, she keeps fleeing. Her white horse continues to carry her...
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Inside the cottage is an old hag. The hag asks angrily why Florimell is there, and she begins to cry. The evil hag gets the idea for a...
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Eventually, Florimell feels she’d like to leave the cottage. She knows the hag or the hag’s son...
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...that looks like a deformed hyena, which feeds on women’s flesh. It goes chasing after Florimell. Florimell sees the ugly creature and fears for her life. The monster slays and eats...
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The hyena-like monster can’t follow Florimell in her boat, but it stands on the shore watching. While the monster is there,...
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...go down. Finally, Sir Satyrane manages to restrain it with a gold belt taken from Florimell’s waist (which Satyrane found lying in the forest earlier). After tying the beast up, Satyrane...
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...left the hyena-monster, which has broken free and gone back to tell the hag about Florimell.
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Book III: Canto VIII
The hag spots the hyena-like beast running back toward her. She sees Florimell’s gold belt and thinks the beast has destroyed her, which upsets her lovesick son to...
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...hag gets the idea of pacifying her son by changing someone else to look like Florimell. She gathers some pure snow and molds it, putting two burning lamps in the eyes...
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...they go walking in the woods until eventually they come across Braggadochio. Proud Braggadochio tells “Florimell” (the sprite in disguise) that he’d like to ride off with her, then proceeds to...
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But as Braggadochio is riding off with the sprite disguised as Florimell, he comes across a powerful-looking knight. The knight wants the fake Florimell. Braggadochio suggests they...
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Meanwhile, the real Florimell is stuck at sea, still in the boat. Though she is safe in the boat,...
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The old fisherman doesn’t heed Florimell’s refusal and throws her down. Florimell shouts and prays for anyone to help her. Proteus,...
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Proteus tries to entertain and woo Florimell, even transforming himself into a faerie knight because he believes that’s what she likes. When...
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The narrator regrets that it’s time to turn away from Florimell back to the adventures of Sir Satyrane. Having recently finished talking with the Squire of...
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Sir Satyrane tells Paridell that he fears Florimell is dead (since he found her gold belt and since the monster ate her horse)....
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Book IV: Canto II
...side comes riding by. His name is Sir Ferraugh, and the lady appears to be Florimell, but in fact it’s the false Florimell who was travelling with Braggadochio.
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Fickle Blandamour decides that he wants “Florimell” (the disguised sprite) now. He attacks Sir Ferraugh and knocks him off his horse, claiming...
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...they would equally share any spoils they came across. Blandamour takes offense, saying he won Florimell fairly and is prepared to defend his claim. Blandamour and Paridell start a fierce battle....
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...what the cause of their disagreement is. They both answer that it’s the love of Florimell. The Squire of Dames argues that it would be better for them to join forces,...
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Book IV: Canto IV
...tournament is coming up, where the winner will receive a gold belt (from the real Florimell). They all put aside their differences and agree to ride to the tournament.
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On the way to the tournament, they run into Braggadochio (who had false Florimell stolen from him by Sir Ferraugh). Braggadochio claims Florimell belongs with him, so Blandamour offers...
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...This causes the others to smile and treat him like a coward. Ate and false Florimell try to stir up discord, but Cambell says they should all save their strength for...
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...make it to the tournament, where Sir Satyrane has the gold belt of the real Florimell. He takes up arms against a pagan knight named Bruncheual. A knight called Ferramont joins...
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Book IV: Canto V
Florimell’s gold belt gives its owner the virtue of chaste love, but it can only be...
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...(who is with Britomart) are all in contention, but the most impressive participant is false Florimell (who is with Blandamour), who looks even fairer than the real Florimell some of them...
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When false Florimell tries to wear the gold belt, however, it keeps slipping off her. She gets embarrassed....
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Fake Florimell has nevertheless been voted most beautiful and awarded to Britomart. But since Britomart doesn’t want...
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...their anger fueled in part by Ate. Wishing to avoid more violence, Satyrane suggests placing Florimell (really false Florimell) in the center of all of them and letting her choose who...
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Braggadochio takes false Florimell away in the middle of the night, and some of the other knights pursue him....
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Book IV: Canto VII
The narrator laments how Cupid’s arrows can bring down even the greatest: it happened to Florimell, it happened to Britomart, and now it’s about to happen to Amoretta. After leaving the...
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Book IV: Canto IX
...rides on with Amoretta. Eventually, they cross paths with a troop of six riders: false Florimell, Braggadochio, a knight named Druon who loves being a bachelor, Claribell, Blandamour, and Paridell. The...
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Book IV: Canto XI
Meanwhile, the real Florimell has been in Proteus’s dungeon this whole time. She spent seven months in a dungeon...
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Book IV: Canto XII
The voice (which belongs to Florimell), complains about how the seas delight in spoiling mortal lives. She says that though waves...
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Marinell tries to think of a way to help Florimell but no matter what option he chooses, the obstacles seem too great to overcome. He...
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...to convince Marinell to tell her which nymph he loves. He admits that he loves Florimell, and Cymoent is upset because Proteus told her that Marinell’s downfall will happen because of...
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...Proteus is just the messenger of her bad news and she knows he is keeping Florimell prisoner, so she goes directly to Neptune to take up the issue. She explains the...
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Proteus doesn’t dare contradict an order from Neptune, and so he lets Florimell go. Marinell sees Florimell, and immediately his heavy heart is lifted. He is weak from...
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Book V: Canto II
Arthegall happens to meet a dwarf on the road who tells him that Florimell is going to marry Marinell. It turns out he’s Florimell’s dwarf, Dony. Dony wants to...
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Book V: Canto III
The day of Florimell and Marinell’s wedding arrives. It’s a glorious feast where everyone eats until they’re full. There...
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...and frees Marinell, before swapping shields back to Braggadochio. Meanwhile, Braggadochio has been hiding false Florimell.
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Real Florimell comes to greet all the knights. Braggadochio then comes forward with his shield (which Arthegall...
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...Braggadochio’s shield in the tournament. He shows his wounds as proof, then bets that Braggadochio’s Florimell is not the real one.
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Arthegall calls real Florimell forward. But as soon as real Florimell stands next to the false one, the false...
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Book V: Canto IV
Arthegall leaves Florimell and Marinell’s wedding festivities. As he travels, he meets two handsome squires who are twin...
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