Lecture Notes, Thursday, July 10: Faerie Queene Book 1 Cantos 7-10

10 July 2008
English 3I06 / The Age of Elizabeth

Faerie Queene Book 1 Cantos 7-10

The story of the Christian soul
*encounters with pride and despair
*cleansing and renewal in the house of Caelia (holiness), the house of earthly mercy (good works), and the home of Contemplation

Pride continued
Canto 7
*even though they’ve left the house of Pride, pride still influences Redcrosse’s behaviour
*removes his armour, 2-4; Duessa is still his companion
*drinking from the fountain of weakness, 5-6
*the arrival of the giant Orgoglio, 7
*Duessa’s bargaining, 14
*Redcrosse in the dungeon, 15
*Duessa’s beast, 16-18
*the Dwarf leaves and encounters Una

Perfect Knight
Canto 8
*Una meets Arthur, 29-36 (detailed description of the shield, and of Arthur’s end)
*Una’s backstory, esp. 43-46; her perspective on Redcrosse, 47
*Arthur’s fight with Orgoglio, 7-24
*note Duessa’s golden cup, stanza 14, dropped stanza 24 (contrast to the cup of Fidelia, 10.13)
*Orgoglio’s arm (10); Arthur’s shield unveiled, 19; Orgoglio’s leg, 22; head, 24
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjEcj8KpuJw

Rescuing Redcrosse
*Ignaro, 31-34
*Redcrosse moving into the realm of despair, 38 –40
*undressing Duessa, 45-50

Despair
Canto 9
*Arthur’s parting gift, 19
*Trevisan fleeing from cave of Despair, 21-22 – the core of his story, 28 and 30
*meeting Despair, 35
*The arguments of Despair, 38-47, esp. 42
*Una’s rescue, 52

The house of Holiness
Canto 10
*narrow passage, 5
*Una gets Fidelia (13) and Speranza (14) to greet Redcrosse
*Redcrosse’s redemption
*Fidelia’s schoolhouse, 18-23
*Patience the “leech”, 23-29 (note Penance’s “yron whip, 27)
*the visit of Charissa, 29-34
*the holy Hospitall, guided by Mercy, 36-45
*the hermitage of Contemplation, 46-68
*the comparison of the New Jerusalem to Cleopolis (home of the Faerie Queene, esp. Panthea), 58; Redcrosse’s desire to stay, 63
*the story of Redcrosse’s origin, 65-66