Assignment 105 : Characteristics of Edmund Spenser's Poetry

 Assignment 105 : Characteristics of Edmund Spencer's Poetry

This blog is a part of an assignment for the Paper 105, A History of the English Literature 1350 to 1900,Sem - 1, 2023.

Characteristics of Edmund Spencer's Poetry

Table of Contents:

• Personal Information
• Assignment Details
• Abstract
• Keywords
• Introduction
• Qualities of Spenser's Poetry
• The Faerie Queene
• Spenserian Stanza
• Quotes of Spenser's
• Conclusion
• Reference

Personal Information :

Name : Reshma Yunusbhai Bilakhiya

Batch : M.A. Sem - 1(2023 - 2024)

Enrollment no : 5108230008

E - mail address : reshmabilakhiya21@gmail.com

Roll no : 27

Assignments Details :

Topic : Characteristics of Edmund Spencer's Poetry

Paper & Subject Code : 105 A History of English

Literature - From 1350 to 1900 & 22396

Submitted to : Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, 

Department of English, MKBU Bhavnagar

Date of Submission : 1st December, 2023

Abstract : 

Edmund Spenser's poetry is marked by allegory, elaborate language, archaic vocabulary, and the distinctive Spenserian stanza. His notable work, "The Faerie Queene," blends chivalric romance with political and moral allegory, embodying Renaissance ideals in a rich tapestry of language and narrative.

Keyword :

Allegory, Spenserian Stanza, Archaic Vocabulary, 

The Faerie Queene, Rich Tapestry of Language,

Artistic Brilliance

Introduction :

Let's step into the enchanting world of Edmund Spenser's poetry! Picture it like a fascinating tale told with special ingredients. Edmund Spenser, a clever poet from a long time ago, had a unique way with words. His poems are like secret codes – you get to uncover hidden meanings. Imagine his language as a fancy dress party, full of charming and old-fashioned words. And oh, the way he organises his verses, it's like a special dance on paper. One of his famous poems, 'The Faerie Queene,' is like a magical adventure blending knights, politics, and important lessons. So, get ready for a journey through Spenser's poetry – where each word is like a stroke of artistic brilliance.

 Qualities of Spenser's Poetry :

The five main qualities of Spenser’s poetry are (1) a perfect melody; (2) a rare sense of beauty; (3) a splendid imagination, which could gather into one poem heroes, knights, ladies, dwarfs, demons and dragons, classic mythology, stories of chivalry, and the thronging ideals of the Renaissance,—­all passing in gorgeous procession across an ever-changing and ever-beautiful landscape; (4) a lofty moral purity and seriousness; (5) a delicate idealism, which could make all nature and every common thing beautiful. In contrast with these excellent qualities the reader will probably note the strange appearance of his lines due to his fondness for obsolete words, like eyne (eyes) and shend (shame), and his tendency to coin others, like merciful, to suit his own purposes.

It is Spenser’s idealism, his love of beauty, and his exquisite melody which have caused him to be known as “the poets’ poet.” Nearly all our subsequent singers acknowledge their delight in him and their indebtedness. Macaulay alone among critics voices a fault which all who are not poets quickly feel, namely that, with all Spenser’s excellences, he is difficult to read. The modern man loses himself in the confused allegory of the Faery Queen, skips all but the marked passages.

The Faerie Queene :

Spenser is most well known for his book-length epic poem, The Faerie Queene. It was one of the first attempts at an English epic poem, which he based on the Italian classics. An epic poem is a long, historical work that attempts to document the events and heroes of a time and place, a country and its culture. Homer's Odyssey and Virgil's Aeneid are examples of classical epics. Spenser and his contemporary, Philip Sidney, wrote the first English epics, distinguishing them as poets who fundamentally defined and shaped a distinct English poetry of their time.

Spencer wrote The Faerie Queene in honour of Queen Elizabeth, who was characterised as the Faerie Queen Gloriana, his heroine. His ambition was to write a beautiful work that exalted her reign, while creating a poem cycle of fantasy adventures rooted in the Arthurian legends of knights, damsels and dragons, and whose characters exemplified Spenser's definition of virtue.

This type of symbolism, where a character or place or event represents or parallels an idea, is called an allegory. In this case, Queen Elizabeth's kingdom is allegorized, and major figures in her kingdom are allegorized as certain virtues, such as friendship, courtesy and justice.

Spenser also hoped to gain patronage by the court for his writing career. In other words, he was trying to flatter the court so that he could gain recognition and monetary support for his writing. He accomplished this to some extent, but not enough to quit his day job, which was to serve the crown by protecting its interests in Ireland. His genocidal views on Ireland, as written in his A View of the Present State of Ireland, published 1633, postmortem, are brutal and incredibly disturbing, but that does not detract from the rich body of poetry he has left us.

Spenserian Stanza 

The Spenserian Stanza was created by Sir Edmund Spenser, 16th century English poet, for his Faerie Queene. The stanza has the feel of a scrunched, combination, Italian and Shakespearean mini-sonnet. 

The elements of the Spenserian Stanza are:

1. a narrative. It tells a story centered around a single theme, often in a time frame that includes a beginning, middle and end. It is usually written in the 3rd person.

2. stanzaic, written in any number of 9 line stanzas.

3. metered, most often iambic. L1-L8 are usually pentameter and L9 is always an Alexandrine line a hexameter (6 feet) with a caesura division creating 2 commonly, equal hemistiches (half lines). According to the New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, the Alexandrine line with it's even number of stresses brings a balance or harmony to the end of the stanza.

4. rhymed. There is a fluid interlocking rhyme scheme a b a b b c b c c that moves the stanza forward while a rhyming couplet brings the stanza to conclusion.

The opening stanza from the Faerie Queen, Canto I by Edmund Spencer 1596

1.

A Gentle Knight was pricking on the plaine,

Y cladd in mightie armes and silver shielde,

Wherein old dints of deepe wounds did remaine,

The cruell markes of many' a bloudy fielde;

Yet armes till that time did he never wield:

His angry steede did chide his foaming bitt,

As much disdayning to the curbe to yield:

Full iolly knight he seemd, and faire did sitt,

As one for knightly giusts and fierce encounters fitt.

Quotes of Spenser's :

"For there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought." ~ Edmund Spenser

Conclusion :

If we talk about Edmund Spenser's poetry is like unlocking a magical world. The hidden meanings, fancy words, and unique dance of verses create a captivating experience. It's a journey through knights and life lessons, leaving you in awe of the artistic brilliance in every word. In conclusion, Spenser's poetry is a treasure trove of wonders that makes you feel like you've experience something truly special.

Reference :

“Top 25 Quotes by Edmund Spenser (of 144): A-Z Quotes.” A, www.azquotes.com/author/13948-Edmund_Spenser. 

“English Literature Ebook.” BookRags, www.bookrags.com/ebooks/10609/78.html#gsc.tab=0. 

Christine_Kohler, et al. “Istock.” iStock, www.istockphoto.com/photos/edmund-spenser.

Tinker. “Spenserian Stanza.” Poetry Magnum Opus, 24 May 2009, www.poetrymagnumopus.com/topic/653-spenserian-stanza/.

Word Count : 1,205

Image : 3

Thank You !!!