A faerie queene summary

1. The faerie queene summary
Jocsan G. Jimenez M
1094246107
Anglophone literature
University of Pamplona
Summary
The Faerie Queene tells the stories of several knights, each representing a particular
virtue, on their quests for the Faerie Queene, Gloriana. Redcrosse is the knight of
Holiness, and must defeat both theological error and the dragon of deception to free
the parents of Una ("truth"). Guyon is the knight of Temperance, who must destroy
the fleshly temptations of Acrasia's Bower of Bliss. Britomart, a woman in disguise
as a male knight, represents Chastity; she must find her beloved and win his heart.
Artegall, the knight of Justice, must rescue the lady Eirene from an unjust bondage.
Cambell and Triamond, the knights of Friendship, must aid one another in defense
of various ladies' honor. Finally, Calidore, the knight of Courtesy, must stop the
Blatant Beast from spreading its slanderous venom throughout the realm.
Each expedition is an allegory, and the knight given the expedition represents a
person's internal growth in that particular virtue. Such growth happens through
various trials, some of which the knights fail, showing how personal development is
a struggle requiring the aid of other forces and virtues to make it complete.
The full story is about six book and each one represents a virtue. Holiness,
temperance, chastity, friendship, justice, and courtesy.

2. Book 1
Book I, dedicated to the virtue of holiness, follows the voyage of the Redcross Knight,
who represents the virtue of holiness. He meets the misleading Duessa, Archimago,
and the House of Pride. The virginal Una, who represents Truth, initially aids the
Redcross Knight in his journey
Book 2
Book II shifts the point of view to Sir Guyon, who represents the virtue of temperance.
His major heroic act is destroying the Bower of Bliss controlled by Acrasia, an evil
witch who lures men to her bower with sexual appeal but then magically transforms
them into beasts. Sir Guyon devotes himself to destroying the witch and her bower.
Book 3
Book III introduces the reader to the lady knight Britomart, who represents the virtue
of chastity and is on a quest to find her beloved Artegal. The first love affair is
Britomart's, whose love for Artegall occurs after she sees him in a magic mirror.
Meeting previous characters such as Sir Guyon, Prince Arthur, and the Redcross
Knight, Britomart must confront foes such as the seductress Malecasta, who is the
very representation of unchaste lust.
Book 4
Book IV, in its elaboration on the virtue of friendship, is also a collection of stories.
From Britomart's rescue of the fair Amoretta to the false friendship between
Blandamour and the envious Paridell. When Britomart proves to be Amoretta's
knightly champion in a battle to preserve Amoretta's chastity, the two women express
their true friendship through their devotional commitment.

3. Book 5
Book V returns to Artegall's adventure as he travels with Talus to rescue Eirena from
her captor Grantorto. Representing the virtue of justice, Artegall's adventure begins
after he receives his quest from the Faerie Queene. artegall's adventure begins after
he receives his quest from the Faerie Queene. After encountering a squire and a
knight named Sanglier fighting over a lady, Artegall acts as a benevolent and mindful
judge, testing his subjects to see who truly loves the lady in question.
Book 6
Book VI follows Calidore as he spreads the social virtue of courtesy. Book VI starts
with Calidore defeating Crudor and his wife Briana, then teaching them the virtue of
courtesy. Calidore continues his adventure, eventually meeting Knight Calepine and
his lady Serena, who was bitten and poisoned by the Blatant Beast.
Cast
Redcross Knight - He is the hero of Book I, the representation of holiness. Wearing
the second-hand armor of past knights, the Redcross Knight's trials include
encountering and defeating Duessa and Despair to preserve his holiness.
Sir Guyon - The hero of Book II, the representation of temperance. Guyon learns
both moderation and self-control in the face of anger, sex, greed, and ambition.
Britomart - The hero of Book III, the representation of chastity. Unlike the Redcross
Knight and Guyon, who sometimes fall from their appointed virtues, Britomart's virtue
of chastity is bound up with the power of love, and she remains chaste throughout
her adventure. Britomart is a formidable knight, significant because of her strong
female role.
Artegall - Britomart's beloved, as well as the representation of justice in Book V.
Along with his companion Talus, Artegall ventures to rescue Eirena from Grantorto.

4. Calidore - As the hero of Book VI, Calidore comes to represent the virtue of courtesy
in its most chivalric sense. Just as chastity is natural to Britomart, courtesy is
embodied within Calidore as he ventures to stop the Blatant Beast.
Florimell is the most beautiful woman in the epic (at least outwardly). She is more
flighty and less independent than either Britomart or Belphoebe, and spends much
of the epic running away from someone or something. She represents the fleeting
nature of beauty, and the reactions of other knights, both virtuous and base, shows
how easily men's heads can be turned by a pretty face.