Spencer's Faerie Queene is perhaps the most intricate allegory written in the history of the English language. In this poem Spencer not only unleashes his creative genius by distorting the letters within his words to create perfect wordplay, but he also seeks to engage young Elizabethans in court behavior by disguising it as an allegory rather than writing a manual on correct behavior of the 16th century. label. Faerie Queene is a poem that romanticizes the history of England by attributing many virtues to various valiant knights, the first of which is Holiness. As the first book of a 24-part masterpiece, Spencer aims to place some emphasis on holiness, implying that all virtues are established first and foremost through divinity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Holiness is present throughout Book I of Faerie Queene 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 for the emblem it wears on its chest and armour, is associated with holiness from the beginning of canto i. The armor of the Red Cross is a reference 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 stand in the evil day, and having done all, stand." Alluding to a popular passage from the Bible, Spencer emphasizes the importance of religion and faith in everyday life and insinuates that religion could be incorporated into even the most enjoyable activities, such as reading The Faerie Queene. What is also interesting in this particular allusion to the Ephesians, is the fact that Spencer transforms biblical allegory into fictitious truth by covering the Red Cross with real armor and making it "able to stand in the evil day" (Ephesians 6:13) against all his opponents. The "bloudie Crosse he bore" (I i 2.1) is worn in "remembrance" (I i 2.2) of the bloody sacrifice of Jesus and alludes to a certain celestial protection such as that of warding off his adversaries as vampires. This blood emblem could also be perceived as an allusion to the massacre of Christians under the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian. According to hagiographic sources, Saint George refused to take part 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 Christianity. St. George's sacrifice for his faith and his attempt to save other Christians characterizes him as a Jesus-like character and reinforces the sanctity of the Red Cross. The dents on the Red Cross' armor further establish its connection to Jesus, as they insinuate that, like Jesus, the Red Cross has also gone through many trials and tribulations; all this he was able to overcome by being clothed in the armor of God. The connection between the Red Cross and its Lord is elevated by their mutual need to clothe themselves in each other's essence; because while the Red Cross must put on God to save itself, God must put on man to save all humanity. While the Red Cross armor is an indication of his reverence for God, this old and damaged armor also serves to illustrate his difficulty in following the path of sainthood. The dents on the "shield of faith" (Ephesians 6:16) suggest that the faith of the Red Cross is damaged. This is most evident when the Red Cross abandons its beautylady for a risky gesture. dream. The ease with which the enemy can manipulate the Red Cross into abandoning not only his bridesmaid, but also his duty to complete the mission is astonishing. His rash reaction is significant because it reveals the fragility on which his faith is built. It is ironic that in condemning Una's alleged dishonor, the Red Cross itself acts in a dishonorable manner, abandoning a tormented girl to the fate of a dangerous world and also abandoning the quest for which "she had to shed her blood" (I i 55,3 ). By risking Una's life, the Red Cross is also putting its own faith at risk, because it is turning its back on holiness itself. Because the Red Cross's faith is delicate and fragile, he is unable to identify evil and use his faith as a shield. One example where his shield is put to the test is in his fight against the Dragon who threatens Una's kingdom. When the dragon unleashes his fiery wrath on the Red Cross, "this one has well armed him, now above all harm has been done to him" (I xi 27.9), for his whole body is burned by the heat of the armour. Interestingly, although his holiness and faith were strengthened in the House of Holiness, the Red Cross' "shield of faith...[was] incapable of quenching all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Ephesians 6:16). . The dragon itself can be seen as a biblical allusion to the "great dragon [who] was cast down, that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who misleads the whole world" (Revelation 12:9). It could therefore be said 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 God's armor, he "[thought] that his arms were lifted up and his helmet was loosened" (I xi 26.9). This insinuates that the Red Cross is beginning to doubt whether the importance of holiness is worth the pain it 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 God's grace. The one who must constantly worry about the loss of the spiritual direction of the Red Cross is the 'lovely damsel; A. Its name comes from the Latin word meaning "one" and represents divine truth through one true faith. Una's sanctity is initially established through many depictions of her purity and wisdom. One enters the first canto on a white donkey. Although donkeys may have been a common mode of transportation in the Elizabethan era, 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 that she too is pure of virginity and carries within herself the truth and holiness of God. The implication is strengthened by the funeral dress and sadness on Una "As one who wept 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 that accompanies Una. The lamb is led "by her in line" (I i 4,9), suggesting that Una is the shepherd of the lamb, just as Christ is thought of as the shepherd of humanity. Just like Jesus, One leads the Red Cross with divine truth and holiness; watching over him and bringing him back to light when he has gone 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 note the relationship between Una and the lamb, as they are connected via a rope. This bond is significant because it gives Una a very intimate bond with the lamb, Jesus, and hints that, 1977. 27-162.