Literature of the world : an introductory study . even so thepoem is of vast bulk. Itis a monumental tributeto the queen, the mostelaborate poetic compli-ment ever paid to a sov-ereign. It is cast in themold of the romance ofchivalry, with AriostosOrlando Furioso as amodel. But, unlike Ari-osto, Spenser has a muchdeeper motive than themerely narrative one. Thestory is hung with the veilof religious, political, andmoral allegory, throughwhich the figures move as in a dream. The six books which Spenser completed glorify thesix virtues of holiness, temperance, chastity, friendship, justice,and co
Literature of the world : an introductory study . even so thepoem is of vast bulk. Itis a monumental tributeto the queen, the mostelaborate poetic compli-ment ever paid to a sov-ereign. It is cast in themold of the romance ofchivalry, with AriostosOrlando Furioso as amodel. But, unlike Ari-osto, Spenser has a muchdeeper motive than themerely narrative one. Thestory is hung with the veilof religious, political, andmoral allegory, throughwhich the figures move as in a dream. The six books which Spenser completed glorify thesix virtues of holiness, temperance, chastity, friendship, justice,and courtesy. Spenser deliberately adopted an archaic spellingand vocabulary (mostly inaccurate, by the way) to lend an at-mosphere of remoteness to the figures and incidents of his form is a modification of Ariostos, known as the Spenserianstanza, and was frequently employed by later poets. It is admi-rably suited to the theme and tone of the poem. We quote a pas-sage from the first book, to illustrate Spensers versification andpoetic EDMUND SPEXSER 370 LITERATURE OF THE WORLD And more, to lulle him in his slumber soft,A trickhng streame from high rock tumbling downe,And ever-drizzling raine upon the loft,Mixt with a murmering winde, much like the sowneOf swarming bees, did cast him in a swowne:No other noyse, nor peoples troublous cryes,As still are wont tannoy the walled there be heard; but carelesse Quiet lyes,Wrapt in eternall silence farre from enemyes. Spensers poetry, and indeed most nondramatic poetr}^ of theperiod, is characterized by an intensity of emotion,—even when,as frequently, it is a wholly imaginary emotion,—by an abound-ing vitality, and by a vividness and often gorgeousness of colorand harmony of sound. It is with few exceptions lacking in thevirtues of simplicity and directness, the narrative poems, includ-ing The Faerie Queene itself, being overelaborated, involved,rambling, and more or less confused. It is surcharged with fan-t
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookpublisherbosto, bookyear1922
