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The Faerie Queene Books #5
Spenser's Faerie Queene. A Poem in six Books; With the Fragment Mutabilitie. Volume 5
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Ed. by Thomas J. Wise, Pictured by Walter Crane
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As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Ed. by Thomas J. Wise, Pictured by Walter Crane
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
286 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 2006
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About the author
Edmund Spenser
1,391 books312 followersEdmund Spenser (c. 1552 - 1599) was an important English poet and Poet Laureate best known for The Faerie Queene, an epic poem celebrating, through fantastical allegory, the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I.
Though he is recognized as one of the premier craftsmen of Modern English verse in its infancy, Spenser is also a controversial figure due to his zeal for the destruction of Irish culture and colonisation of Ireland.
Though he is recognized as one of the premier craftsmen of Modern English verse in its infancy, Spenser is also a controversial figure due to his zeal for the destruction of Irish culture and colonisation of Ireland.
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November 25, 2022Book V of THE FAERIE QUEENE is probably the most controversial instalment - famously evaluated by CS Lewis with rather scorching words:
When he wrote of Ireland, Spenser became a bad poet because he was in some respects a bad man… Spenser was the instrument of a detestable policy in Ireland, and in his fifth book, the wickedness he shared begins to corrupt his imagination.
The "destable policy" Lewis refers to is the man Spenser served as a secretary Lord Grey of Wilton, choosing to literally starve the Irish into submission, conducting a scorched-earth policy to flush Irish soldiers out of their hiding-places in the woods. On the face of it, to the modern reader, Book V of the FAERIE QUEENE is another fantasy yarn, perhaps not as gloriously meaningful as Books I or IV, full of battles fought and damsels rescued (as well as some knights rescued by our best girl, Britomart), and having almost nothing to do with the English colonisation of Ireland.
But Spenser was writing allegory, not plain romance, and for the first time in the epic most of the events of the story relate directly to Elizabethan current events. Sometimes this is more obvious, like the passage where Mercilla, an analogue of Elizabeth I, appears in eye-watering splendour to condemn to death an analogue of Mary Queen of Scots; or where there's an actually pretty funny dig at Henry "Paris is worth a mass" Bourbon of Navarre. It might be a bit trickier to see where our hero, Artegall, becomes a representation of Lord Grey of Wilton in his mission to subdue a certain "savage Island", but it's there, complete with him sending Talus, the iron robot of justice, around the place to restore order before being tragically interrupted in his work by Envy and Detraction. In short, this is the segment of the poem where Spenser rolls up his sleeves and starts lauding and justifying some of Elizabeth I's foreign intervention, war crimes, and authoritarianism - a hard sell in any age. He was undoubtedly better off discussing spiritual, moral, and relational matters in former books.
There's a lot more that could be said here, but I think on this second read through, I've actually been pleasantly surprised by how much worse it could have been. The depiction of Radigund, the evil man-hating Amazon queen, for instance, is tempered not just by other female queens and ladies in the story, but also by Artegall's willingness to treat her with dignity and respect. And the fact that seventeenth century political activism is largely confined to this particular Book means that it's an easy skip for the sensitive Catholic reader.
Absolutely the most problematic instalment, but not without its merit as a story.
When he wrote of Ireland, Spenser became a bad poet because he was in some respects a bad man… Spenser was the instrument of a detestable policy in Ireland, and in his fifth book, the wickedness he shared begins to corrupt his imagination.
The "destable policy" Lewis refers to is the man Spenser served as a secretary Lord Grey of Wilton, choosing to literally starve the Irish into submission, conducting a scorched-earth policy to flush Irish soldiers out of their hiding-places in the woods. On the face of it, to the modern reader, Book V of the FAERIE QUEENE is another fantasy yarn, perhaps not as gloriously meaningful as Books I or IV, full of battles fought and damsels rescued (as well as some knights rescued by our best girl, Britomart), and having almost nothing to do with the English colonisation of Ireland.
But Spenser was writing allegory, not plain romance, and for the first time in the epic most of the events of the story relate directly to Elizabethan current events. Sometimes this is more obvious, like the passage where Mercilla, an analogue of Elizabeth I, appears in eye-watering splendour to condemn to death an analogue of Mary Queen of Scots; or where there's an actually pretty funny dig at Henry "Paris is worth a mass" Bourbon of Navarre. It might be a bit trickier to see where our hero, Artegall, becomes a representation of Lord Grey of Wilton in his mission to subdue a certain "savage Island", but it's there, complete with him sending Talus, the iron robot of justice, around the place to restore order before being tragically interrupted in his work by Envy and Detraction. In short, this is the segment of the poem where Spenser rolls up his sleeves and starts lauding and justifying some of Elizabeth I's foreign intervention, war crimes, and authoritarianism - a hard sell in any age. He was undoubtedly better off discussing spiritual, moral, and relational matters in former books.
There's a lot more that could be said here, but I think on this second read through, I've actually been pleasantly surprised by how much worse it could have been. The depiction of Radigund, the evil man-hating Amazon queen, for instance, is tempered not just by other female queens and ladies in the story, but also by Artegall's willingness to treat her with dignity and respect. And the fact that seventeenth century political activism is largely confined to this particular Book means that it's an easy skip for the sensitive Catholic reader.
Absolutely the most problematic instalment, but not without its merit as a story.
April 12, 2022
“And such was he, of whom I have to tell,
The Champion of true Justice Artegall.”
This is my favorite Faerie Queene book yet, though I suspect that the more accurate statement is that my favorite book is the one I just read! I feel so at home in Faerieland now. Regardless, Book 5 is just as stellar as the first four, and Artegall and Britomart are still the best. Talk about literary power couples!
Spenser does such a great job illustrating different kinds of justice and showing how mercy fits in. I didn’t realize how one-dimensional my view of the virtue of justice was until this book revealed its many facets!
The Champion of true Justice Artegall.”
This is my favorite Faerie Queene book yet, though I suspect that the more accurate statement is that my favorite book is the one I just read! I feel so at home in Faerieland now. Regardless, Book 5 is just as stellar as the first four, and Artegall and Britomart are still the best. Talk about literary power couples!
Spenser does such a great job illustrating different kinds of justice and showing how mercy fits in. I didn’t realize how one-dimensional my view of the virtue of justice was until this book revealed its many facets!
April 13, 2022
Sir Artegall is *swoon*.
April 27, 2013
This book contains one of my all-time favorite moments in FQ. Artegall has given himself up for prisoner to the Amazon queen, who has stripped him of his armor, dressed him in women's garb, and given him a distaff to work on. Britomart arrives on the scene to rescue him, sees him in the women's garb, and you can just see her face as she is horrified by his appearance, averts her eyes, and essentially says "oh, my God. Dude. Oh, no. Just... you are such an embarrassment. I can't even look at you right now! Come on. Just ...get your armor, and let's go." It's laugh-out-loud hilarious!
December 15, 2017
we'd all die for Britomart, part two!
April 12, 2022
It may be long in coming, but Justice will prevail at the end of the story.
November 5, 2019
Ugh. Book V reverts to the hard-edged authorial-guaranteed allegory of books I & II, and loses the fun, lightness, ambiguity and irony of books III and IV. Violent and disturbing.
Also features Talus, the Yron Man.
Also features Talus, the Yron Man.
April 3, 2023
when he’s a 10/10 writer but also a colonialist ☹️👎
January 1, 2021
As Artegall embodies justice, so he fights the Giant, Equality. Forced equality always makes people unequal.
The “Florimell arc” is finally wrapped up. She is to marry Marinell. The Britomart/Artegall narrative is also furthered. This raises another problem. Britomart embodies the virtue Chastity. And Spenser makes it even more provocative as Britomart best embodies chastity by seeking conjugal wedlock. Well and good. Except every time Britomart and Artegall conclude a story arc, they avoid marriage by going on another adventure. This is doubly complicated with Artegall as he goes on to Ireland (or Irena), which was both unnecessary for Elizabeth and for Artegall.
Criticisms
Spenser almost waited too long to complete the Florimell arc. That character arc had been pursued several times and the flow of Marinell’s story is moving towards the climax of the wedding. False Florimell downplays the tension without actually releasing it. I understand that it allowed Artegall to expose Braggadocio, but Spenser almost did it too late in the narrative.
There is a fun chiasm in Canto 10.26:
“The Castle was the strength of all that state,
Until that state by strength was pulled downe.”
A. Strength
B. State
B’ State
A’ Strength
The “Florimell arc” is finally wrapped up. She is to marry Marinell. The Britomart/Artegall narrative is also furthered. This raises another problem. Britomart embodies the virtue Chastity. And Spenser makes it even more provocative as Britomart best embodies chastity by seeking conjugal wedlock. Well and good. Except every time Britomart and Artegall conclude a story arc, they avoid marriage by going on another adventure. This is doubly complicated with Artegall as he goes on to Ireland (or Irena), which was both unnecessary for Elizabeth and for Artegall.
Criticisms
Spenser almost waited too long to complete the Florimell arc. That character arc had been pursued several times and the flow of Marinell’s story is moving towards the climax of the wedding. False Florimell downplays the tension without actually releasing it. I understand that it allowed Artegall to expose Braggadocio, but Spenser almost did it too late in the narrative.
There is a fun chiasm in Canto 10.26:
“The Castle was the strength of all that state,
Until that state by strength was pulled downe.”
A. Strength
B. State
B’ State
A’ Strength
March 23, 2017
I had not expected a mass murderer robot to turn up in 16th century literature, but lo and behold: Talus, the socially awkward hand of Justice. This book is brutally violent. Also Spenser really wants to hammer it into our heads that patriarchy is the best for everyone and the natural order of things. The instant women get all the power, men are demeaned through being made to eat less, dress pretty, and keep house, a fate worse than death! (Hey, it's not that bad, Spense) :/
April 7, 2018
You can see my overall thoughts on The Faerie Queene here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book Five exemplifies the way in which Spenser seems to come out overtly and distinctly on the wrong side of almost every important issue of our lives today. I’m sure Shakespeare shared some if not all Spenser’s unfortunate ideas. However, he didn’t write plays to justify these ideas. He always maintained an elusiveness and a compassion for all sides.
Not Spenser. He’s anti-democratic, anti-freedom of religion (he particularly dislikes Catholics and Jews), anti-feminist, and anti-wealth sharing. I’d also add anti-free press and he promotes violent imperialism. He doesn’t just mention these things, he comes out proclaims them to be the basis of a just society.
As a distinction, there are plenty of stories within the Iliad depicting the unfair and discriminatory mistreatment of women. But main purpose of none of these stories is to explain why women should be mistreated. That’s not the case with Spenser. He feels the need to step into that thicket.
In this book, he lectures about the proper place for women and why wealth distribution is wrong. And his arguments are weak by modern standards. For example, in arguing against the distribution of wealth, he uses the geocentric view of the solar system to make his point! History has not been kind.
Again, I’m sure most writers of the period shared these views, as well as peasants and royalty, men and women. But it’s so grating when Spenser pontificates about it. It’s another reason his work seems from another age completely. Granted, I know the Spenser scholars will go to great pains to explain the subtilties of his views, the quaint distinctions, the contradictions, and the ways he is a social iconoclast, etc. I’ll just respond with this: There was no reason to put the wealth redistribution story in The Faerie Queene. Nobody would have missed it. But he wanted to say it.
And if anyone complains about your views? It is, of course, “fake news!” So the book assures us at the end.
Book Five exemplifies the way in which Spenser seems to come out overtly and distinctly on the wrong side of almost every important issue of our lives today. I’m sure Shakespeare shared some if not all Spenser’s unfortunate ideas. However, he didn’t write plays to justify these ideas. He always maintained an elusiveness and a compassion for all sides.
Not Spenser. He’s anti-democratic, anti-freedom of religion (he particularly dislikes Catholics and Jews), anti-feminist, and anti-wealth sharing. I’d also add anti-free press and he promotes violent imperialism. He doesn’t just mention these things, he comes out proclaims them to be the basis of a just society.
As a distinction, there are plenty of stories within the Iliad depicting the unfair and discriminatory mistreatment of women. But main purpose of none of these stories is to explain why women should be mistreated. That’s not the case with Spenser. He feels the need to step into that thicket.
In this book, he lectures about the proper place for women and why wealth distribution is wrong. And his arguments are weak by modern standards. For example, in arguing against the distribution of wealth, he uses the geocentric view of the solar system to make his point! History has not been kind.
Again, I’m sure most writers of the period shared these views, as well as peasants and royalty, men and women. But it’s so grating when Spenser pontificates about it. It’s another reason his work seems from another age completely. Granted, I know the Spenser scholars will go to great pains to explain the subtilties of his views, the quaint distinctions, the contradictions, and the ways he is a social iconoclast, etc. I’ll just respond with this: There was no reason to put the wealth redistribution story in The Faerie Queene. Nobody would have missed it. But he wanted to say it.
And if anyone complains about your views? It is, of course, “fake news!” So the book assures us at the end.
November 24, 2024
This is undoubtedly my favourite (by now) part of Spenser's “The Faerie Queene”. The remarkable allusion to Ovid's Metamorphoses in the opening canto, where the world is described as having fallen from “golden to a stonie age”, finds its continuation in the noble quests of the hero Artegall, who was nurtured by the goddess Astraea, the personification of Justice. Before her departure for Olympus, she entrusted him with Talus, 'made of iron mould', a steadfast companion on his mission to rescue Irene from the chains of the Titan Grantorto.
Book V of this gargantuan epic, more than ever, breathes with an allegorical representation of the tumultuous historical currents that swirled through England in the closing decades of the XVI century, particularly in its relations with France, Belgium, and Ireland – which is the central motif of the poem, embodied in the character of Irene.
The scene in the Temple of Isis, where the shield-maiden Britomart is to pass the night, eclipses, in its beauty, even that of the Temple of Venus in Book IV.
Book V of this gargantuan epic, more than ever, breathes with an allegorical representation of the tumultuous historical currents that swirled through England in the closing decades of the XVI century, particularly in its relations with France, Belgium, and Ireland – which is the central motif of the poem, embodied in the character of Irene.
The scene in the Temple of Isis, where the shield-maiden Britomart is to pass the night, eclipses, in its beauty, even that of the Temple of Venus in Book IV.
September 25, 2021
This is the second book of The Faerie Queene that I've read, the first being Book 1, and I have to say, this one is not just better, but really proves Paglia's argument about the importance of sexual personae to Spenser's work. It's full of strange psychosexual energy, femme fatales prowling the land for our virtuous knight of male virility to punish in some of the most obvious sexual imagery I've ever seen (he sticks a sword up a personification's womb to kill her! C'mon man). Spenser was clearly a little pervert for Queen Elizabeth, and the political implications of this one is another dimension that makes the work stranger and stronger on the whole. Come for sex and gender politics, stay for the absurd argument pro-colonization of Ireland.
February 18, 2024
Possibly it's just me, and I'm a bit Spensered out, but after the fabulous Book Four, Book Five feels a bit repetitive: there are some magnificent pieces of description (most of the last Canto is wonderful) but Book Five seems more bitty, more disconnected, more going through the motions than previous Books. I cannot believe that that's true, as one doesn't write something like this and not believe it, but it doesn't seem to convey as well.
May 6, 2025
ENGL 466
September 27, 2014
I wish this book had more explanation/summary. I consider myself to be somewhat knowledgeable on Renaissance literature; I've read Marlowe, Dryden, and Sydney, and I've taken two separate courses just on Shakespeare, but Spenser's language was so archaic I was lost for 90% of this text. The rhyme scheme and high poetry were nice, but that's really about all I can tell you about this book. I can't summarize the plot and I probably should have given up and read the Sparknotes or Wikipedia page instead because there's no 'this is what's happening, ok?' anywhere in this book. Even the introduction has this rather infuriating assumption that the reader already knows the entire plot and is only reading this book for the allegories and rhyme schemes. I'm kind of frustrated.
June 24, 2021
Dec 2019. For grading breaks.
Book V is a lot like Book II: the protagonist Artegall is just about as interesting as Sir Guyon; the plot is similarly episodic; various minor characters return from earlier books. But the allegory is more distinctly historical.
Highlights:
* Talus, passim
* Fight on the Bridge at Lady Munera's Castle
* Wrap-up of Snowy Florimell and Braggadochio
* Radigund's three cantos, including the Church of Isis
* The Sultan's man-eating horses
* The punished poet outside Mercilla's court
* Wrap-up of Duessa's story (disappointing but important)
Also, the footnotes are less intrusive than in Books III-IV, and the introduction is more concise and organized.
Book V is a lot like Book II: the protagonist Artegall is just about as interesting as Sir Guyon; the plot is similarly episodic; various minor characters return from earlier books. But the allegory is more distinctly historical.
Highlights:
* Talus, passim
* Fight on the Bridge at Lady Munera's Castle
* Wrap-up of Snowy Florimell and Braggadochio
* Radigund's three cantos, including the Church of Isis
* The Sultan's man-eating horses
* The punished poet outside Mercilla's court
* Wrap-up of Duessa's story (disappointing but important)
Also, the footnotes are less intrusive than in Books III-IV, and the introduction is more concise and organized.
January 4, 2016
Well, I love Spenser (as we all should) so I'm biased when it comes to judging his Faerie Queene. Impossible to grant it anything less than five stars as an important, influential, epic English poem. Apart from that, the editor's notations in this volume were excellent in their non-intrusiveness; a fact which is blatantly untrue for some of the other editors in this Hackett Publishing series.
September 17, 2016
This is the portion of the epic allegory of Elizabeth I’s reign centered on the personification of the virtue of Justice in the form of Sir Artegall. Fascinating in language, subject matter and intent, this, is in no way an easy or casual read, but the influence that this work has on modern hero stories is apparent.
February 21, 2008
This was my first full read of Book 5, and it's fantastic. There's so much good stuff in the scenes with Radigund. Again, I can't recommend the edition highly enough.
January 21, 2020
Read for uni
This was a bizarre little book 😅
This was a bizarre little book 😅
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