In Fast Friendship Bound: Spenser's Heroic Model of National Unity

Abstract

<p>Spenser's concern with English sovereignty is evident throughout The Faerie Queene, and in "The Legend of Holinesse" he promotes an entirely indigenous faith structure aligned with the state as the basis for a unified nation. I argue that in Book I of The Faerie Queene, Spenser presents an allegorical model of England through the Redcrosse Knight, Prince Arthur, and Una. These three characters represent the English citizenry, monarchy, and Protestant church, the three institutions proposed as necessary for a unified nation. Spenser's heroic model is presented as an emblem in Canto ix, where through the efforts of Prince Arthur, Redcrosse is reunited with Una. These three characters are similarly used in this paper as a structuring device to organize this thesis into three self-contained, interrelated essays, and issues relevant to each character/institution are explored in his or her chapter. After a brief discussion of the poetic emblem in Canto ix, where all three characters are present and exchange tokens of friendship, Redcrosse, Arthur, and Una are considered individually.</p>