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The Epic of Reformation: A Guide to the Faerie Queene
Edmund Spenser’s unfinished epic poem The Faerie Queene is English Lit’s best-kept secret. Not only is it a series of epic quest stories sprinkled liberally with battles, gore, monsters, and romance; it’s also a series of profound meditations on the Christian life and virtues, and on top of that, the whole thing symbolises Reformation theology and politics.
The epic comes in six books each depicting a private Christian virtue as embodied in a knight who has been sent on some terrible quest by the Faerie Queene of the title, Gloriana. The Faerie Queene mixes great storytelling with great doctrines, physicality with spirituality, song with theology, allegory with politics. The result is fiercely meek, graciously sensuous, lyrically grotesque, and boisterously orthodox—just like the Puritans themselves. Within its pages there are doctrines and insights the world has forgotten or only half-remembers—just like the Reformation itself. And it is not just a guide to the political and theological landscape of Reformation England; it’s a map to future reformation.
Dim the lights. Pass the popcorn, the opera-glasses, and the power-ballad cigarette lighter—we’ll need them all. Let the fierce wars and faithful loves begin.
Suzannah Rowntree, who blogs at www.vintagenovels.com, is a freelance writer and editor with a particular interest in theology, literature, law, history, and languages.
The epic comes in six books each depicting a private Christian virtue as embodied in a knight who has been sent on some terrible quest by the Faerie Queene of the title, Gloriana. The Faerie Queene mixes great storytelling with great doctrines, physicality with spirituality, song with theology, allegory with politics. The result is fiercely meek, graciously sensuous, lyrically grotesque, and boisterously orthodox—just like the Puritans themselves. Within its pages there are doctrines and insights the world has forgotten or only half-remembers—just like the Reformation itself. And it is not just a guide to the political and theological landscape of Reformation England; it’s a map to future reformation.
Dim the lights. Pass the popcorn, the opera-glasses, and the power-ballad cigarette lighter—we’ll need them all. Let the fierce wars and faithful loves begin.
Suzannah Rowntree, who blogs at www.vintagenovels.com, is a freelance writer and editor with a particular interest in theology, literature, law, history, and languages.
- GenresNonfiction
56 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2013
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36 people want to read
About the author
Suzannah Rowntree
34 books596 followersHi! I live in a big house in rural Australia with my awesome parents and siblings, drinking fancy tea and writing historical fantasy fiction that blends real-world history with legend, adventure, and a dash of romance.
If you like the historical fantasy of Gail Carriger, S. A. Chakraborty or Naomi Novik, you'll probably like my stories too!
You can visit me online at https://suzannahrowntree.site
GOODREADS FRIEND POLICY: I'm afraid I don't accept every single friend request I receive, unless we already know each other, or it looks like we have tastes broadly in common. However, please feel free to follow and interact.
If you like the historical fantasy of Gail Carriger, S. A. Chakraborty or Naomi Novik, you'll probably like my stories too!
You can visit me online at https://suzannahrowntree.site
GOODREADS FRIEND POLICY: I'm afraid I don't accept every single friend request I receive, unless we already know each other, or it looks like we have tastes broadly in common. However, please feel free to follow and interact.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
my-books
January 7, 2015*cough* I wrote it. I like it. ;)
May 20, 2016
Loved this elucidation of Spenser - I remember having to read part of it school and not enjoying it or understanding it. Not sure I'm ready to pick Faerie Queen up again, but I'd certainly consider it now.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews