The document summarizes Edmund Spenser's epic poem The Faerie Queene. It provides biographical details about Spenser, including that he was born in London and received an education at Cambridge. His greatest work was The Faerie Queene, published in 1590, which was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I. The poem is an allegory using mythical characters to represent virtues important in Protestant England. It tells the story of the knight of Holiness, the Redcrosse Knight, as he goes on a quest for Queen Gloriana to defeat a dragon, facing villains that try to corrupt his mission.

1. THE FAERIE QUEENE

2. THE AUTHOR
Edmund
Spenser
(15521599)
• Born in London, England.
• Received a quality education – Masters from
Cambridge.
• Poetry for publication
• Secretary for Bishop of Kent / Queen
Elizabeth’s Court
• The Shepheardes Calendar (1579)
• Greatest work: The Faerie Queen (died
working on it)
• Died on January 13, 1599 at Westminster.

3. THE FAERIE QUEENE
• Published in
1590 (only
completed half
of the poem)
The first 3
books
• Explain the
purpose of the
poem : Queen
Elizabeth
Letter to Sir
John Walter
• Story whose
characters &
events 
Specific &
simbolic
meaning
Allegory
• Mythical Faerie
Land & Queen
• England’s
religion
Setting

4. CONTEXT
Spenser lived in
Post- Reformation
England
Roman Catholicism
vs Anglicanism
(national England)
Still some catholics
in England
Sentiment for the
battles of the
poem: London vs
Rome
Spenser said
Catholic Church
was full of
corruption
Anti- Elizabethan
Propaganda

5. Summary
•It tells the story of the knight of Holiness, the
Redcrosse Knight.
•He has been given a task by Gloriana, "that greatest
Glorious Queen of Faerie lond," to fight a terrible
dragon.
•He is traveling with a beautiful, innocent young lady
and a dwarf as servant.
• During all the story they face villians who try to
separate them and stand on their way.

6. Summary
• Allegory: characters which have a meaning related to the real life.
• Gloriana: Is the fairie queene and represents Queen Elizabeth.
• Redcrosse: He represents true Anglican man. Who must have faith
always.
• Una: She represents the truth.
• Both represent the qualties of a Anglican.
• The villians: try to separate them and represent the Catholic Church.
• There is a villian who wears purple, which represent the Pope.
• Another villian adopts different forms and try to confuse the
travellers.

7. THE FAERIE QUEENE
(http://www.luminarium.org/renascenceeditions/fqintro.html)
THE FAERIE
QVEENE.
Disposed into twelue bookes,
Fashioning
XII. Morall vertues
LONDON
Printed for William Ponsonbie.
1596.
TO THE MOST HIGH,
MIGHTIE
and
MAGNIFICENT
EMPRESSE RENOVVMED FOR PIETIE, VERTVE, AND ALL GRATIOVS
GOVERNMENT ELIZABETH BY
THE GRACE OF GOD QVEENE
OF ENGLAND FRAVNCE AND
IRELAND AND OF VIRGINIA, DEFENDOVR OF THE
FAITH, &. HER MOST
HVMBLE SERVANT
EDMVND SPENSER
DOTH IN ALL HVMILITIE DEDICATE, PRESENT
AND CONSECRATE THESE
HIS LABOVRS TO LIVE
VVITH THE ETERNITIE OF HER
FAME.