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Allegory
Definition of Allusion
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to... read full definition
Book I: Canto I
Explanation and Analysis—Saintes and Popes:
Spenser alludes satirically to Catholic practices and ideas throughout the poem as part of the Protestant polemic central to the work. After vanquishing Error, for example, the Redcross Knight and Una seek refuge in a home that resembles a Catholic monastery:
Arriued there, the little house they fill,
Ne looke for entertainement, where none was:
Rest is their feast, and all things at their will;
The noblest mind the best contentment has.
With faire discourse the euening so they pas:
For that old man of pleasing wordes had store,
And well could file his tongue as smooth as glas;
He told of Saintes and Popes, and euermore
He strowd an Aue-Mary after and before.
Related Themes:
Book I: Canto IX
Explanation and Analysis—Arthurian Legend :
Throughout The Faerie Queene, Spenser alludes to a wide array of figures drawn from classical mythology, biblical narrative, and medieval romance. Perhaps the most consistent and pivotal source for Spenser is Arthurian legend, to which he alludes at various points throughout the poem. Though Arthur is not the principal hero of any of the books of The Faerie Queene, he often serves as a helper-figure, offering aid and guidance to Spenser’s “faerie” heroes and serving as an ideal model of true virtue, strength, and heroism. After he rescues Una and Saves Redcross from the prison of Orgoglio the giant, he attempts to explain how he has found himself in Faerie Land, far from his home in England:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Faire virgin (said die Prince) ye me require
A thing without the compas of my wit:
For both the lignage and the certain Sire,
From which I sprang, from me are hidden yit
For all so soone as life did me admit
Into this world, and shewed heauens light,
From mothers pap I taken was vnfit:
And streight deliuered to a Faery knight,
To be vpbrought in gentle thewes and martiall might.
Related Themes:
Book II: Proem
Explanation and Analysis—The New World :
In the Proem to Book II, Spenser alludes to various parts of the Americas that Europeans had only recently become aware of. Defending his epic poem against those who might regard it a pointless fantasy or “th’aboundance of an idle braine,” he states:
Unlock with LitCharts A+But let that man with better sence aduize,
That of the world least part to vs is red:
And dayly how through hardy enterprize,
Many great Regions are discouered,
Which to late age were neuer mentioned.
Who euer heard of th’Indian Peru?
Or who in venturous vessell measured
The Amazons huge riuer now found trew?
Or fruitfullest Virginia who did euer vew?
Book II: Canto III
Explanation and Analysis—Belphoebe:
In introducing the character of Belphoebe in the poem, Spenser alludes to various mythological “warrior women” and also indirectly to Queen Elizabeth I, to whom the poem is dedicated. When the absurd duo Braggadochio and Trompart encounter Belphoebe in the woods, the narrator states:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Such as Diana by the sandie shore
Of swift Eurotas, or on Cynthus greene,
Where all the Nymphes haue her vnwares forlore,
Wandreth alone with bow and arrowes keene,
To seeke her game: Or as that famous Queene
Of Amazons, whom Pyrrhus did destroy,
The day that first of Priame she was seene,
Did shew her selfe in great triumphant ioy,
To succour the weake state of sad afflicted Troy.
Related Themes:
Book III: Proem
Explanation and Analysis—The Virgin Queen:
In the Proem to Book III, Spenser alludes heavily to Queen Elizabeth I, praising her as the ultimate exemplar of Chastity, the theme of the book. Discussing the difficulty of writing about this theme, the narrator states:
Unlock with LitCharts A+It falles me here to write of Chastity,
That fairest vertue, farre aboue the rest;
For which what needs me fetch from
Faery Forreine ensamples, it to haue exprest?
Sith it is shrined in my Soueraines brest,
And form’d so liuely in each perfect part,
That to all Ladies, which haue it profest,
Need but behold the pourtraict of her hart,
If pourtrayd it might be by any liuing art.
Related Themes:
Book III: Canto IX
Explanation and Analysis—New Troy:
In the house of Malbecco, Paridell explains his personal history, recounting the story of the fall of Troy as described in The Illiad and claiming to be a direct descendant of the Trojan Paris. Here, Spenser alludes both to the subject of Homer’s earlier epic poem and also to one of the founding myths of Britain as a “Troynovant” or “New Troy” founded by Trojan refugees. Describing Britomart’s reaction to Paridell’s story, the narrator states:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Whenas the noble Britomart heard tell
Of Troian warres, and Priams Citie sackt,
The ruefull story of Sir Paridell,
She was empassiond at that piteous act,
With zelous enuy of Greekes cruell fact,
Against that nation, from whose race of old
She heard, that she was lineally extract:
For noble Britons sprong from Troians bold,
And Troynouant was built of old Troyes ashes cold.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—The Eyes of Argus:
Spenser alludes to the mythological figure of Argus in his depiction of Malbecco’s frantic and vain attempts to keep his wife away from other men. Of Malbecco’s paranoia, the narrator notes that:
Unlock with LitCharts A+In vaine he feares that, which he cannot shonne:
For who wotes not, that womans subtiltyes
Can guilen Argus, when she list misdonne?
It is not yron bandes, nor hundred eyes,
Nor brasen walls, nor many wakefull spyes,
That can withhold her wilfull wandring feet;
But fast good will with gentle curtesyes,
And timely seruice to her pleasures meet
May her perhaps containe, that else would algates fleet
Related Themes:
Book III: Canto X
Explanation and Analysis—Paris and Helen:
Spenser satirizes the Trojan War in Book III of The Faerie Queene. Britomart and a small band of knights have sought refuge in the home of the paranoid Malbecco, and one of the guests, Paridell, has begun to court and seduce Malbecco’s wife Hellenore. Utilizing the satirical techniques of “mock-epic,” which employs the lofty language of epic poetry to discuss minor and petty themes, Spenser writes:
Unlock with LitCharts A+No fort so fensible, no wals so strong,
But that continuall battery will riue,
Or daily siege through dispuruayance long,
And lacke of reskewes will to parley driue;
And Peace, that vnto parley eare will giue,
Will shortly yeeld it selfe, and will be made
The vassall of the victors will byliue:
That stratageme had oftentimes assayd
This crafty Paramoure, and now it plaine displayd.
Related Themes:
Book III: Canto XII
Explanation and Analysis—Hermaphroditus :
At the conclusion of Book III, Britomart rescues Amoretta from the clutches of the evil Busirane, and the young woman is reunited with her beloved, Scudamore. Here, Spenser alludes to the classical figure of Hemaphrodite (or more commonly, Hermaphroditus) in order to reflect upon the nature of romantic relationships. Describing the scene of Amoretta and Scudamore’s reunion, the narrator states:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Had ye them seene, ye would haue surely thought,
That they had beene that faire Hermaphrodite,
Which that rich Romane of white marble wrought,
And in his costly Bath causd to bee site:
So seemd those two, as growne together quite,
That Britomart halfe enuying their blesse,
Was much empassiond in her gentle sprite,
And to herselfe oft wisht like happinesse,
In vaine she wisht, that fate n’ould let her yet possesse.
Related Themes:
