The Goddess in The Faerie Queen
Spenser's Faerie Queen, although rooted firmly in the Christianreligion, nevertheless contains frequent positive references (both explicitand implicit) to the pagan Goddess religions that Christianity worked sohard to replace in the British Isles. This assertion is supported not onlyby the actual imagery, metaphor, and other poetic devices contained withinthe six books, but also by Spenser's brilliant conception of time assomething nonlinear; a dimension in which past and present mingle to createan imagined reality that, Spenser hints, might not be too far differentfrom the "historical" realities presented as fact. As Brill notes, thewords of the poem exist on a temporal continuum in which archaic andcurrent meanings are applicable simultaneously" (9). Therefore, if time exists in this simultaneous, rather than linear,fashion in The Faerie Queen, then the pre-Christian religions of theBritish Isles, with their beliefs in Goddesses, fairies, magic, and otherpagan elements, should co-exist along with Christian references to God,Satan, and other Christian elements. This paper will show that this isindeed the case with a close reading of Stanza 46 of Canto IX, Book One.
What is strikingabout each of their rescues, however, is that although for the most partthe savior comes in godly form (as in the Lion who protected Una until hehimself was killed in for his efforts), the presence of Una -- who, at onepoint, is taken for a goddess by a group of "nature dwellers" (i. Finally, there is the ubiquitous presence of Una herself. However, he will be healed by the waters flowingmagically from the tree; waters that are like an ointment of "life and longhealth" that can heal deadly wounds. Lest the reader become too confused -- or, more dangerously, tooconvinced that Spenser is writing a heretical tale -- he brings the treefirmly back to the realm of Christianity. Do the thanks go to the God to whomshe prays, or to Una herself' Spenser never really makes that definitive. The idea of fertility continues in this stanza. Next, however,he looks up to see this vision (which is described in the whole of Stanza46): There grew a goodly tree him faire beside, Loaden with fruit and apples rosie red, As they in pure vermilion had beene dide, Whereof great vertues ouer all were red: For happie life to all, which thereon fed, And life eke euerlasting did befall: Great God it planted in that blessed sted With his almightie hand, and did it call The tree of life, the crime of our first fathers fall. Or, more accurately, as a text thatbrilliantly intertwines symbolism, beliefs, and imagery from both of thesereligious traditions. The first two lines of this stanza incorporate a combination of paganand Christian references. On the other hand, it is her prayers that, Spenser notes, are inlarge part responsible for his victory. theblood of Jesus Christ), and so this symbolic reference to red is definitelyChristian. Who, according to the Bible, was human before Adam and Eve' No one. "Given this, then, the reader might well worry at this point that theRedcrosse Knight has landed somewhere that, while appearing to be healingand happy is actually the site of the downfall -- one of the most longed-for and dreaded places in Christendom. However, the apple wasalso the symbol of the Goddess as she was revered in the pagan religions ofthe British Isles.
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Acceptance Essays
