Vincent Darlage’s Reviews > The Faerie Queene > Status Update

Book III, Canto VIII, where the Witch creates a lady out of snow and makes it look like Florimell to seduce her son. Unfortunately, the son loses the fake Florimell to Braggadochio, who in turn loses her to an unknown knight. The real Florimell is almost raped by an old fisherman, but rescued by the sea god Proteus, who falls in love and imprisons her. Sir Paridell, Satyrane, and the Squire of Dames join forces.

Book III, Canto VII, where Florimell meets a witch, and the witch's son fall in love with her, so Florimell flees again - and the witch sets a monster to chase after her. Florimell jumps into a boat and escapes, but her horse dies. Satyrane, the nature knight, sees the death of the horse and tames the beast, but then a giantess battles him. Satyrane frees the Squire of Dames, but loses the beast.

Book III Canto VI, where Belphœbe's origin is explored. She has a sister named Amoret. Basically, a faerie named Chrysogone was laying around naked, and the sun impregnated her. She had twins, Belphœbe and Amoret. Chrysogone birthed them in her sleep, and they were found and taken by Diana and Venus. Diana kept Belphœbe, and Venus gave Amoret to Psyche to foster. We also get to explore the Garden of Adonis.

Book III, Canto V, where Arthur learns more about the girl he is chasing from a dwarf, and where Timias (Arthur's squire) battles three foresters and is wounded. Fortunately, Belphœbe shows up and tends his wounds - but unfortunately, Timias falls in love with her.

Book III, Canto IV, wherein Britomart fells Marinell after giving a long complaint by the sea-shore, and then Cymoent, Marinell's Nereid mother, gives an even longer complaint by the sea-shore, then whisks Marinell to be healed under the sea by Tryphon, and then Arthur chases after the maid and gets upset when night falls, so he gives a long complaint about night.

Book III, Canto III, which continues Britomart's origin, where she meets Merlin, who gives her a prophecy that she will begat a line that will culminate with Elizabeth I. Britomart gains the armor of a Saxon virgin, along with Bladud's magic spear, so that her armor combines the strength of the Saxons with the strengths of the Britons. We return to the present, and she parts ways with the Red Cross Knight.

Book III, Canto II, wherein Britomart lies to the Red Cross Knight about her origins, and uses her wiles to get the Red Cross Knight to tell her how wonderful Artegall is. Then we learn how she first saw Artegall in a magic mirror created by Merlin so her father, a king, could see invaders to his realm. Britomart's nurse, Glauce (now her squire), tries to remove the love from young Britomart with magic, but fails.

Book III, Canto I, wherein we meet Britomart, a female knight. She battles Sir Guyon and then befriends him and Arthur. Later she rescues the Red Cross Knight and meets Malecasta, who thinks Britomart is a beautiful androgynous man, and sneaks into Britomart's bed, which sets Britomart ready to stab Malecasta (just not the kind of stabbing Malecasta wanted).

Book II Canto XII, wherein Sir Guyon and the Palmer travel to the Bower of Bliss, encountering many of the obstacles of the Odyssey. They find Acrasia and bind her, and destroy the sinful Bower. As they leave, they turn the monsters back into humans, and one does not want to be changed back, and it is said that virtuous people always strive for virtue, and wicked, immoral people aren't likely to change either.

Book II Canto XI, where Arthur must defend Alma's castle (the human body) against Maleger's forces (the seven sins that hit the heart and the five vices that overpower the five senses). Maleger is aided by two hags, Impotence (makes the body weak) and Impatience (makes the heart more willing to take shortcuts and sin). Like Hercules with Antaeus, Arthur must lift Maleger from the earth and cast him into a lake.