The Style of Faerie Queene

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shapes elsewhere may no man reed.”

In Stanza 23 Canto I, there is the comparison of the annoyance felt by the Red Cross Knight because of the monster’s progeny to the annoyance felt by a gentle shepherd when he is surrounded by numerous gnats.

“A cloud of cumbrous gnattes do him molest,

All striving to infixe their feeble stings,

That from their noyance he no where can rest,”

In the invocation Spenser has compared the light of Phoebus who is the god of sun in greek mythology with the knowledge and enlightenment of Queene Elizabeth.

‘ …whose light like phoebus

Lampe throughout the world doth shine’ (Lines 30 and 31, Invocation)

Spencer has also used extended simile in the poem to extend its stature. An extended simile is defined as the simile often running to several lines, used typically in epic poetry to intensify the heroic stature of the subject and to serve as decoration. This kind of elaboration of simile is done in epics, and so it is called ‘epic simile.’

“As Lyon fierce upon the flying pray” (Line 146, Canto I)

Here bravery of Red Cross Knight has been compared with that of Lion . In another place, Knight has been compared with a Shepherd.

“As gentle Shepherd in sweet even-tide” (Line 199, Canto I)

Knight has also been compared with the sun that both after taking rest in the evening comes out in the morning and starts working again.

“Then with the Sunne take Sir, your timely rest” (Line 289, Canto I)

Spenser has used metaphor in his poem to elaborate his ideas. Metaphor is an expression that describes a person or object by referring to something that is considered to have similar characteristics to that person or object. In the invocation, Spenser has used the words of grace, divine and great lady for the Queene Elizabeth.

‘Mirrour of grace and Majestie diuine,

Great Lady of the greatest Isle..’ (Lines 29 and 30, Invocation)

Spenser has referred to baited hook which is used to entrap the fish, here it is referred to the false lady Una who is going to entrap the Knight.

‘Lo there before his face his Lady is,

Under blake stole hyding her bayted hooke;’ (Lines 437 and 438, Canto I)

Every Stanza Of The Faerie Queen presents a separate picture and pictures follow each other as do slabs of brick or stone in a work of Masonry. In the Faerie Queen, it is only Spenserian Stanza that enables him to rival the Art of a Painter, not with the Brush, but with the words. It is in this way that The Faerie Queen becomes a wonderful picture-gallery.

Sometimes we get the pictures of old man in all their hoary glory:

"An aged sire, in long blacke weed, yclad,

His feet all bare, his head all hoary grey." (Lines 254 and 255, Canto I)

Such is the portrait of Hypocrisy, seemingly simple and holy but full of treachery.

The Medieval institution of knight-erranty had a peculiar charm for Spencer and we get Impressive and detailed word paintings of scenes of fighting, Knightly encounters and bloodshed.

“Who nought aghast, his mightie hand enhaunst:

The stroke down from her head unto her shoulder glaunst.”(Lines 161 and 162, Canto 1)

Such is the description of the firece encounter between the Red-Cross Knight and the Errour.

The pictures of Spencer’s Knights, are equally concrete and impressive. The Book 1 opens with the Description of the Red-Cross Knight.

“A gentle knight was pricking along the plain,” (Line 1 Canto I)

The Faerie Queene lays bare before us a panorama through which countless knights march in all their grandeur and majesty.

“ycladd in mighte arms and silver shield” (Line 2, Canto I)

Edmund Spenser introduced such a writing style that was admired and adopted by many eminent writers. The ambition to Rival the Art of painting was born in English Poetry through Spenser. In this respect he is supreme beyond all the Poets, ancient or modern. His greatest contribution is the Spenserian stanza which has been admired by countless critics and imitated by all the poets, since its introduction.

As J.R Lowell Said: “The service which Spenser did out to literature by his exquisite sense of harmony is incalculable”. The music of the stanza puts the readers in the condition of reverie, a state of mind in which our thoughts and feelings float motionless, as one sees fish do in a gentle stream.”

Similarly, Legouis Said: “It has a Hypnotic Effect, induces a slumber to which the things of Life are Remote, and we are in communion only with the Poet’s Pictures”.