The document discusses how The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser contains historical allegories from the Elizabethan time period in England. During Queen Elizabeth's reign, England was going through the Catholic Reformation where people wanted to break away from the corrupt Catholic Church and popes. Spenser, who was anti-Catholic, used the characters in his story to represent the conflict between true Protestant religion and the Roman Catholic Church. The good characters like Gloriana and the Redcrosse Knight symbolize Protestantism, while villains like Archimago and Duessa symbolize the deceitful Catholic Church. Spenser's purpose was to promote Protestantism through these historical allegories.

1. The Historical Allegory In
“The Faerie Queene”
By Haley Kroger

2. Not Your Typical Fairytale

“The Faerie Queene,” is much more than just a
fairytale.

Many of the characters contain historical
paradoxes from the Elizabethan time period in
England.

The setting itself is an allegory to England.

3. A Little British History

During Queen Elizabeth's reign, England was
going through the Catholic Reformation, which
is also known as the English Reformation.

People believed the popes and Catholic Church
were corrupt so they wanted to get away from
it.

Instead they wanted Protestantism and
Anglicanism.

Queen Elizabeth was a well known Protestant,
so she became the symbolic leader of the
Catholic Reformation.

4. Good Versus Evil

Edmund Spenser was very anti-catholicism.

In the story, the good characters represent true
religion, which he thought was
Protestantism/Anglicanism.

The villains represent the Roman Catholic
Church.

5. The Good Guys

Gloriana, the Faerie
Queen, is a paradox
for Queen Elizabeth.

The Redcrosse
Knight represents an
individual Christian on
their search for
Holiness.

Una means truth.

Must have true faith
to be Holy.

6. 
Archimago means arch-
The Bad Guys image. The Protestants
accused Catholics of
idolatry because of their
extensive uses of
images.

Duessa represents the
Catholic Church because
she is deceiving and she
is described as wearing
elaborate gold and
purple clothing, showing
the greedy wealth and
arrogant pomp of Rome.

Error- “Her vomit full off
bookes and papers
was...”(177).

7. Discussion Question
What do you think Edmund Spenser's
purpose was for writing this?
Do you think he was hoping for some
type
of outcome?