Spenser

by Carl Hare

Spenser portrays the last four turbulent months in the life of poet Edmund Spenser, faithful servant of Queen Elizabeth I of England, for whom he wrote The Fairie Queene. Spenser and his family find themselves caught in the 1598 Munster Revolt in Ireland, where he has become an administrator and landlord in support of British rule. Fleeing England after the invasion of his Irish home, Spenser is forced to examine the sweep of his life as the treatise he has written about the Irish rebellion turns out to have far-reaching consequences. Written in Spenserian stanza to evoke the Elizabethan period and the poet's own style, Spenser is Book Two of the epic trilogy On the River of Time, which examines three figures--one mythical, one historical, and one fictional--from different time periods spanning almost three thousand Odysseus in Greece; Spenser, the poet, in Ireland; and Archer, a renegade actor/director in Canada. Through their journeys we explore the nature of human perceptions and drives, our use of the Mask in our lives, encounters with the Other, acceptance or denial of the consequences of our actions, and the continuity over the millennia of these universal human attributes.

461 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[David Carriere · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spenser is a richly crafted historical novel that immerses readers in the final months of Edmund Spenser’s life during the violent upheaval of the 1598 Munster Revolt. Written in Spenserian stanza, Carl Hare’s work evokes not only the Elizabethan world but the very voice and cadence of the poet himself. The novel weaves political unrest, personal reckoning, and literary legacy into an elegant, resonant narrative that feels both epic and intimate.

Hare’s meticulous research and poetic execution bring the tension of colonial Ireland vividly to life, while Spenser’s introspective journey his service to Queen Elizabeth, his literary ambitions, and his confrontation with the consequences of empire creates a compelling portrait of a man shaped by ideals, duty, and turmoil. A bold and ambitious work, Spenser stands out as a unique blend of historical fiction and poetic homage.