Spencer's Faerie Queene is perhaps the most complex allegory written in the history of the English language. In this poem, Spencer not only unleashes his creative genius by twisting the letters of his words to create perfect puns, but also seeks to engage Elizabethan youth in courtly behavior by disguising it in the form of an allegory rather than to write a textbook on the real 16th century. label. Faerie Queene is a poem that romanticizes English history by attributing many virtues to various valiant knights, the first of which is holiness. Being the first book of a planned 24-part masterpiece, Spencer aims to place some emphasis on holiness, insinuating that all virtues are grounded first in divinity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Holiness is present throughout Book I of The Fairy Queen through an elaborate allegory to best illustrate this important virtue. The central character of this sacred book is the Knight of the Red Cross. The Red Cross, cleverly named after the emblem it wears on its chest and armor, is associated with holiness from the beginning of song I. The armor the Red Cross wears refers to Ephesians 6 :11-16, which commands you to “put on the whole armor of God…the breastplate of righteousness” and “the shield of faith” so “that you may be able to withstand.” on the bad day, and after having done everything, to stand. » By alluding to a popular passage from the Bible, Spencer emphasizes the importance of religion and faith in daily life and insinuates that religion could be incorporated into even the most enjoyable activities, such as reading The Faerie Queen. What is also interesting about this particular allusion to the Ephesians is the fact that Spencer transforms the biblical allegory into fictional truth by dressing the Red Cross in real armor and enabling it to "resist in the evil day" ( Ephesians 6:13) against all his enemies. opponents. The “bloody cross which he bore” (I i 2.1) is worn in “remembrance” (I i 2.2) of Jesus' bloody sacrifice and insinuates a certain heavenly protection such as warding off his adversaries like vampires. This blood emblem could also be seen as an allusion to the massacre of Christians during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. According to hagiographical sources, Saint George refused to participate in the Christian genocide and confessed his true faith (Wikipedia). In this way, the bloody cross on the chest of the Red Cross is another reference to Saint George and his execution after declaring his own Christianity. St. George's sacrifice for the faith and for his attempt to save other Christians marks him as a Jesus-like figure and reinforces the holiness of the Red Cross. The bumps on Red Cross' love further establish his connection to Jesus, as they insinuate that, like Jesus, Red Cross also went through many trials and tribulations; all this he was able to surpass by being clothed in the armor of God. The bond between the Red Cross and its Lord is strengthened by their mutual need to dress in the essence of the other; because while the Red Cross must clothe itself in God to save itself, God must clothe itself in humanity to save all of humanity. If the Red Cross's armor is an indication of his respect for God, this old and damaged armor also serves to illustrate his difficulty in following the path of holiness. The dents on the “shield of faith” (Ephesians 6:16) insinuate that the faith of the Red Cross is damaged. This is particularly evident when theRed Cross abandons its beautiful lady for a risk? dream. The ease with which the enemy is able to manipulate the Red Cross into abandoning not only her maiden, but also her duty to complete the quest is surprising. His thoughtless reaction is significant because it reveals the fragility on which his faith rests. It is ironic that in condemning Una's alleged dishonor, the Red Cross itself is acting dishonorably in abandoning a troubled damsel to the fate of a dangerous world and otherwise abandoning the quest for which "he was supposed to shed his blood” (I i 55.3). By risking Una's life, the Red Cross also risks its own faith, for it turns its back on holiness itself. Because Red Cross's faith is delicate and fragile, he is unable to identify wickedness and use his faith as a shield. One example in which his shield is tested is during his fight against the dragon threatening Una's kingdom. When the dragon unleashes his fiery wrath on the Red Cross, “it is he who is well armed, now he is especially wounded” (I xi 27.9), for his entire body is burned under the heat of the armor. It is interesting to note that although his holiness and faith were restored at the House of Holiness, the Red Cross's "shield of faith... [was unable] to extinguish all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16). The dragon itself can be seen as a biblical allusion to "the great dragon [that] was cast out, even that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, which deceives the whole world" (Revelation 12:9). We could then say that the burning of the Red Cross was a test of his faith by the enemy. Although there is no mention of the Red Cross actually removing the armor of God, he "[thought] of unlacing his weapons and his helmet" (I xi 26.9). This suggests that the Red Cross is beginning to doubt whether the importance of sainthood is worth the pain he must endure. The helmet of the Red Cross, a reference to the "helmet of salvation" (Ephesians 6:17), signifies his uncertainty of being saved by the grace of God. The one who must constantly worry about the loss of spiritual direction of the Red Cross is the charming young lady; Una. Its name is derived from the Latin word meaning “one” and represents divine truth through one true faith. Una's holiness is initially established through numerous depictions of her purity and wisdom. Una enters the first song on a white donkey. Although donkeys may have been a common means of transportation in Elizabethan times, the image of Una traveling on a donkey is strongly reminiscent of the Virgin Mary's journey to Bethlehem. Una resembles the Virgin Mary in the sense that she too is pure in virginity and carries within herself the truth and holiness of God. The implication is reinforced by Una's funeral attire and sadness "Like one weeping inwardly" (I i 4.6), much like Mary's mourning for her son Jesus. By creating parallels between the Virgin Mary and Una, Spencer insinuates that Una, or the Anglican Church, is God's instrument on earth to bring salvation to humanity. The allusion to the New Testament is further developed by the white lamb which accompanies Una. The lamb is led “by her in line” (I i 4.9), insinuating that Una is the shepherd of the lamb, just as Christ is seen as the shepherd of humanity. Just like Jesus, Una guides the Red Cross with divine truth and holiness; watching over him and bringing him back to the light when he went astray. The white lamb is also a direct reference to John 1:29, "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world"; a biblical metaphor for Christ. It is important to notice the relationship between Una and the lamb, as they are connected by a rope. This connection is significant because it gives Una a connection, 1977. 27-162.