- Jul 2019
-
earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com
-
And yet all Kings their wealth of him do borrow.
God decided and controlled who became king and queen.
-
,
I wonder is she's so fond of her because she is the queen, or because the queen is actually a very good leader who deserves praise.
-
.
There is so much Greek mythology to this story, which is surprising in this christian era of time.
-
How much are we to honor those that springs From such rare beauty, in the blood of Kings
Since she is saying that she isn't worthy of the queen's, I feel that she might gloss over any of the queen's errors.
-
A Womans writing of divinest things:
I love that this is a women writing about a women, because it seems much more accurate than a man writing his beliefs about the queen.
-
-
earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com
-
when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language
When one man dies they become a better chapter, or "goes to a better place".
-
for that child is thereby connected to that body which is my head too, and ingrafted into that body whereof I am a member
He seems fixated on the idea of two humans joining together.
-
Call back therefore thy meditation again, and bring it down: what’s become of man’s great exten
This is God's world because he controls humanity.
-
world
Was the world created by evil or the devil?
-
If all the veins in our bodies were extended to rivers, and all the sinews to veins of mines, and all the muscles that lie upon one another, to hills, and all the bones to quarries of stones,
I love all of the smiles he uses with body parts, it creates a fascinating imagery.
-
Man consists of more pieces, more parts, than the world; than the world doth, nay, than the world is.
If men are pieces, is the entire population the world (the god made)?
-
Blood fills his frowns, which from his pierced head fell.
Description of Jesus on the cross.
-
Spit in my face you Jews,
Religious conflict.
-
Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,
Men were never in control anyway.
-
.
He knows that death is inevitable, because so many many have died different ways. He looks to God for guidance.
-
And all my pleasures are like yesterday; I dare not move my dim eyes any way,
He feels like he was just enjoying the pleasures of youth, but years have gone by unexpectedly.
-
Love is a growing, or full constant light, And his short minute, after noon, is night.
No matter how strong love is, keeping secrets will end the bond of love quickly.
-
Our hands ne’er touch’d the seals, Which nature, injured by late law, sets free. These miracles we did ; but now alas ! All measure, and all language, I should pass, Should I tell what a miracle she was.
He was a faithful follower of religious beliefs, then he found his lover.
-
A bracelet of bright hair about the bone
Very vivid imagery.
-
Here lies my business, and here I will stay You go to friends, whose love and means present Various content To your eyes, ears, and taste, and every part ; If then your body go, what need your heart?
Even though they won't be physically together, their hearts will be connected.
-
That since you would have none of me, I bury some of you.
A very interesting sentence and phrasing.
-
But as all several souls contain Mixture of things they know not what, Love these mix’d souls doth mix again, And makes both one, each this, and that.
This story is centered around the idea that love exists outside of the physical and that souls combine in the after life.
-
pregnan
This word is repeated a lot throughout his poems.
-
Our two souls therefore, which are one,
Reminds me of "The flea" but it's souls instead of blood.
-
‘Twere profanation of our joys To tell the laity our love.
Love is what causes grief.
-
ome say, “No.”
Some people are in denial about their loss.
-
false sleep
False sleep= death
-
And we will some new pleasures prove Of golden sands, and crystal brooks, With silken lines and silver hooks.
We see a connection between love and material goods again.
-
epitaph
A phrase written in memory of someone of their tombstone. http://epitaph.com/
-
So, lovers dream a rich and long delight, But get a winter-seeming summer’s night.
People glorify love because of their expectation, but love isn't always perfect and great.
-
Till thy tears mix’d with mine do overflow This world, by waters sent from thee, my heaven dissolvèd so.
He feels the need to justify his tears- kind of connects to the stereotype that men shouldn't cry.
-
BREAK OF DAY.
Do these pieces come together and make a timeline throughout the day ? Earlier a poem was called "the sun is rising" and now it's "break of day".
-
But since my soul, whose child love is, Takes limbs of flesh, and else could nothing do, More subtle than the parent is Love must not be, but take a body too ;
He describes how love is between two souls, not two physical bodies.
-
TWICE or thrice had I loved thee, Before I knew thy face or name
He had been in love 2 or 3 times before he loved her.
-
O how feeble is man’s power, That if good fortune fall, Cannot add another hour, Nor a lost hour recall ; But come bad chance, And we join to it our strength, And we teach it art and length, Itself o’er us to advance.
Men have no power, it's fate that determines how long we will live.
-
the sun
The sun is a common reference is his writing.
-
Who says my tears have overflow’d his ground?
This is such a powerful image of grief.
-
FOR God’s sake hold your tongue, and let me love
Here he's saying to just love one another and not speak about logic with love.
-
Venus
The Roman god of love.
-
Rob me, but bind me not, and let me go.
If you love someone let them go if they desire.
-
.
Before he mentions faithfulness, here he seems to be in love with two women and not be faithful himself.
-
I CAN love both fair and brown
Is he speaking of racial issues here?
-
?
He probably doesn't like the sun because when the sun comes up that means another day is here and time has passed some more.
-
Which is, to keep that hid.
He did something but won't tell anyone what he did. Reminds me of the different stories of knights we've read, and to do something because it's the right thing to do and now because they want a reward or recognition.
-
mermaids singing,
Supernatural references.
-
GO and catch a falling star, Get with child a mandrake root,
All impossible tasks.
-
what thou and I Did, till we loved ?
Wondering what they had done in their lives before they met each other.
-
one blood made of two ;
This has a lot of scientific/medical factors in it, and usually love and science aren't connected together.
-
It suck’d me first, and now sucks thee, And in this flea our two bloods mingled be.
Does the flea represent a uncontrollable force? The flea may represent destiny of two people being together.
-
-
pressbooks.pub pressbooks.pub
-
nly to wonder at unlawful things, Whose deepness doth entice such forward wits
Faustus wasn't saved and didn't repent in time.
-
Curs’d be the parents that engender’d me! No, Faustu
Faustus isn't blaming anyone, but himself and Lucifer.
-
ALL. God forbid!
So no one else has sworn their soul.
-
vain pleasure of twenty-four years hath Faustus lost eternal joy
Kind of a lesson where you shouldn't give up a life long opportunity for a little pleasure.
-
surfeit
When someone doesn't desire anything else because they consumed too much in excess. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surfeit
-
Come, Helen, come, give me my soul again.
Like the Faerie Queen- the women gives strength to the man.
-
I do repent
He has finally repented for his sins.
-
And Faustus’ custom is not to deny The just requests of those that wish him well,
I know Faustus is using dark magic from the devil, but in some instances he almost feels like he's doing something good for someone else.
-
Come, madam, let us in, where you must well reward this learned man for the great kindness he hath shewed to you.
Faustus is using his dark magic to get things to please other people or does e just know it will get him a favor later on?
-
.
I'm wondering when someone will play a prank on Faustus.
-
if my horse be sick or ill at ease, if I bring his water to you, you’ll tell me what it is?
I think this is foreshadowing trouble with the horse and water...
-
remembered how you crossed me in my conference with the Emperor? I think I have met with you for
Faustus has punished the knight since he was rude to him, Faustus seem obsessed with his reputation now.
-
.
The emperor wants Faustus to summon the riches from Alexander the Great.
-
Now is his fame spread forth in every land:
Faustus has what he initially wanted.
-
Here’s thy goblet, good Vintner.
So Faustus wanted riches for his own gain. Ralph summons the goblet to give it to someone else, and makeup for what he has done wrong? Since he stole it.
-
our horses shall eat no hay as long as this lasts.
What's the point of not letting the horses eat hay?
-
My lord, it may be some ghost, newly crept out of Purgatory, come to beg a pardon of your Holiness.
Is Faustus going to repent in front of the pope?
-
Fall to, and the devil choke you, an you spare!
I'm sure scaring the pope with mentions of the devil is a good idea.
-
Pope and manner of his court, And take some part of holy Peter’s feast,
I'm assuming all of the religious references are intentional?
-
.
Can he actually do this or does he have to commit his soul to the devil like Faustus did?
-
I am like to Ovid’s flea
A very nice simile.
-
Never too late, if Faustus can repent.
This reminds me a lot of Everyman, where God forgives anyone as long as they confess their sins.
-
I will not. FAUSTUS. Sweet Mephistophilis, tell me.
Is he trying to force him to say the name of God?
-
Alexander’s
Reference to Alexander the Great.
-
Faustus, Thinkest thou heaven is such a glorious thing?
Faustus seems to be contradicting himself. Before he didn't want to think of heaven any more, he is clearly doing that and almost desiring heaven?
-
I prithee, Faustus, talk not of a wife.
Will his wife have to commit her soul to the devil as well? Why is it so problematic that he wants a wife?
-
.
Is this a way of saying that hell is somewhat on earth?
-
FAUSTUS. [Stabbing his arm] Lo, Mephistophilis, for love of thee, I cut mine arm, and with my proper blood
I think it's interesting how stories at these times showed physical wounds/pain to bond to either side. Julian of Norwich lives in pain to be faithful to God. Here, even the devil makes someone suffer physical pain to bind them together.
-
And offer lukewarm blood of new-born babes.
A very vivid description.
-
What boots it, then, to think of God or heaven? Away with such vain fancies, and despair;
He's not even going to bother thinking of heaven or God ( I feel like in a sense this could be a greater sin, because knowing right from wrong can determine our humanity).
-
she-devil
This is the first time in the story that a female is mentioned.
-
gridirons
A grate for boiling food. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gridiron
-
pickadevaunts
A beard, well cut to a sharp point. https://www.definition-of.com/pickadevaunt
-
Had I as many souls as there be stars, I’d give them all for Mephistophilis.
He's making a bold comment here. He'd give all of his souls to the devil if he could.
-
This word “damnation” terrifies not him,
He is not afraid of hell.
-
To do whatever Faustus shall command,
He wants him to be his servant.
-
laureat
A prizewinner https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/laur%C3%A9at
-
.
They're kind of blaming his two friends for going down that path, but everyone isn't acknowledging the fact that Faustus made the decision himself and not with their influence.
-
dunces
A person who is slow at learning. He basically just called the two scholars stupid. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dunce
-
.]
I wonder if this will end up being problematic and become a power war between the three of them. Or Fautus will go to far and these two will try to stop him but fail because they taught him too much?
-
Delphian oracle
A oracle in Greek mythology, who sometimes could predict the future.
-
canonize
To treat as sacred. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canonize
-
fly to India for gold, Ransack the ocean for orient pearl,
He seems to do everything for power and wealth and all of his own personal gain.
-
GOOD ANGEL. O, Faustus, lay that damned book aside, And gaze not on it, lest it tempt thy soul, And heap God’s heavy wrath upon thy head! Read, read the Scriptures:–that is blasphemy. EVIL ANGE
This reminds me of those scenes that you see in movies, where the angel and the devil are both on someone's shoulder, and they are interfering with their decision.
-
And necromantic books are heavenly;
Interesting phrase- The necromantic books (book of dark/ satanic magic) are heavenly? This reminds me of the debate over whether or not all sins are just sins or if they have levels of severity.
-
Physic, farewell!
He seems like the kind of person who will never be satisfied.
-
shew,
A word used in old english that means show. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shew
-
waxen wings did mount above his reach, And, melting,
His wax-like wings melted. Reminds me of the Greek mythology character Icarus.
-
Carthaginians;
A Phoenician state. Where the punic wars was occurred. https://www.mrdowling.com/609-carthage.html
-
-
earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com
-
twaine
two
-
betwixt
between
-
fall of that great beast,
I thinks there's a huge parallel and irony in the fact that the queen helped his recover from his own personal "fall", so he could make the dragon have a literal fall to defeat him.
-
iourneyes end:
Her journey had ended-she saved the town and her people.
-
Neptune
The god of the sea (Poseidon in Greek mythology), its really interssting to see the different religious beliefs all combined together.
-
vermilion
A red or scarlet color. Does this parallel with the red blood? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermilion
-
All night she watcht, ne once adowne would lay Her daintie limbs in her sad dreriment, But praying still did wake, and waking did lament.
Are we going to see her "give him strength" a final time?
-
.
Redcrose pierces the dragons wing- I;m wondering if he can't fly now.
-
But stings and sharpest steele did far exceed The sharpnesse of his cruell rending clawes; Dead was it sure, as sure as death in deed,
The author always makes a point to vividly describe the deadliest part of the monster the knight is facing.
-
Mars
The god of War.
-
captiue Parents deare, And their forwasted kingdome to repaire:
Una needs to repair her kingdom and help her parents (again a women is in charge).
-
Georgos
A form of Zeus. He was the god of croplands and farms. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeus_Georgos
-
Hierusalem
H has the J sound here.
-
With burning starres, and euerliuing fir
Powerful imagery.
-
chiefest
The person of highest authority (interesting that it's a women).
-
In that sad house of Penaunce, where his spright Had past the paines of hell, and long enduring night.
This reinforces the Christian idea at the time that you can always be forgiven for your sins.
-
In which his torment often was so great, That like a Lyon he would cry and rore, And rend his flesh, and his owne synewes eat.
This reminds me of Julian of Norwhich. Where she inflicted pain on herself to be pure.
-
Made him forget all that Fidelia told. In this distressed doubtfull agonie,
They helped rid him of his guilty conscious from all of his sins that he believed would condemn him to hell.
-
A booke, that was both signd and seald with blood, Wherein darke things were writ, hard to be vnderstood.
Is this the book of the damned?
-
happie earth,
The contrast of earth in this story is interesting. It mentions earlier you can't fully trust earth, yet it also brings them happiness to be alive on it.
-
Through long enprisonment, and hard constraint, Which he endured in his late restraint, That yet he was vnfit for bloudie fight: Therefore to cherish him with diets daint, She cast to bring him, where he chearen might, Till he recouered had his late decayed plight.
Redcrosee is a broken knight.
-
Holinesse
What Redcrosse it suppose to represent.
-
But death he could not worke himselfe thereby;
So everyone will die, and fate controls when you die, but you can't speed up death that it out of control.
-
And bad him choose, what death he would desire: For death was due to him, that had prouokt Gods ire.
While fate controls death, you can choose how you want to die.
-
Are written sure, and haue their certaine date.
Everyone seems to have their death date written down in a book. Does this mean that God can see accidental death or intentional ones but can't overrule fate?
-
Is not his deed, what euer thing is donne, In heauen and earth? did not he all create To die againe?
Referencing God and Jesus with the Christian belief of how the world was created.
-
And all about old stockes and stubs of trees, Whereon nor fruit, nor leafe was euer seene, Did hang vpon the ragged rocky knees; On which had many wretches hanged beene, Whose carcases were scattered on the greene, And throwne about the cliffs.
A very detailed scene, that's grotesque and a wasteland.
-
.
So Arthur gives a medicine that can cure common illnesses in exchange for a book that contains all of the knights knowledge.
-
Prince Arthur
Is someone else currently King right now? Is he referred to as Prince Arthur because he is still young and has not yet acquired the throne?
-
respire
Recover faith/hope after a hard time. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/respire
-
From mothers pap I taken was vnfit: And streight deliuered to a Faery knight, To be vpbrought in gentle thewes and martiall might.
He was taken from his mother and raised his entire life to be a knight.
-
So as she bad, that witch they disaraid, And robd of royall robes, and purple pall, And ornaments that richly were displaid; Ne spared they to strip her naked all. Then when they had despoild her tire and call, Such as she was, their eyes might her behold, That her misshaped parts did them appall, A loathly, wrinckled hag, ill fauoured, old, Whose secret filth good manners biddeth not be told.
They punish the witch by undressing her and discovers her true form, not the form she's masked herself with.
-
His sad dull eyes deepe sunck in hollow pits, Could not endure th’vnwonted sunne to view; His bare thin cheekes for want of better bits,
Physically he seems almost close to death.
-
On which true Christians bloud was often spilt, And holy Martyrs often doen to dye, With cruell malice and strong tyranny:
This time we see a very harsh and violent image connected to Christianity.
-
Her golden cup
= The holy grail.
-
forst the knight retyre.
The knight retired first? Couldn't this be seen as a cowardice move.
-
He smote off his left arme
The giants arm gets-cut off reminds me of Beowulf.
-
His boystrous club, so buried in the ground, He could not rearen vp againe so light, But that the knight him at auantage found,
The giants club gets stuck so the knight finally has advantage.
-
And euery dore of freewill open flew.
Does the horns contain some kind of magical power that causes all of the doors to open? Or the idea that the force of the horns were so loud.
-
So oft as he through his owne foolish pride, Or weaknesse is to sinfull bands made thrall
He's blaming himself.
-
Arthu
I wonder how King Arthur will be portrayed in this story compared to others that includes him.
-
t.
This is my favorite part so far, it's the lowest we've seen Redcrosse and a lot of people come to his aid.
-
Merlin
A wizard-like figure who often can predict the future, and he often advises King Arthur (I had a feeling he was going to show up in this story).
-
Hesperus
The evening star.
-
She fell to ground for sorrowfull regret,
She realizes a knight has no armor and realizes that something is wrong. I think empty armor was usually used to symbolize death.
-
wofull
Expressing of sorrow or misery ( woeful in present English).
-
Duessa was his deare
This story has re-occurring themes of the women being in power/ control.
-
Disarmd, disgrast, and inwardly dismayde,
Redcrose seems to face more and more challenges in each story. This scene here is the exact opposite of what you'd typically picture of a knight.
-
bowelles
The intestines.
-
monstrous masse of earthly slime,
This reminds me of what the serpent in canto 1 spewed out.
-
Till at the last he heard a dreadfull sownd
Is the terrible sound his ladies screams, and does this parallel with different perspectives in canto 6?
-
Disarmed all of yron-coted Plate,
Disarmed of any iron coated plates; armor.
-
Pagan
We see the clashing of beliefs, the Christian God, the Greek Gods, and now the Pagan old religious beliefs.
-
Fortune,
I feel that fortune is personified here- like they are trying to blame a actual person. Again we see the “wheel of fortune” appear again.
-
Lyonesse
We see both female and male lions protect others.
-
sweld,
He’s holding her captive and she is pregnant.
-
Syluanus
A spirit of nature.
-
crime
The animals seem to give her strength and make her fearless. It reminds me of Canto 1 where she can strength to Redcrosse.
-
Her shrill outcryes and shriekes so loud did bray, That all the woodes and forestes did resownd;
A very powerful description. That she screamed and cried so loud that the entire woods and forest could hear her,
-
assayle
To begin to launch a military operation. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/assailen
-
her wrack for to bewaile,
The ship is personified into a women.
-
Great Romulus the Grandsyre of them all, Proud Tarquin, and too lordly Lentulus, Stout Scipio, and stubborne Hanniball, Ambitious Sylla, and sterne Marius, High Cæsar, great Pompey, and fierce Antonius
Kings of Rome.
-
His cursed hand gainst God
I think it's interesting that they give a very descriptive story of Greek gods, then literally two stanzas later they mention the traditional Christian God.
-
Sea-god
=Poseidon
-
Cerberus His three deformed heads did lay along, Curled w
A three-headed dog who in Greek mythology guarded the entrance to the underworld.
-
Then to her yron wagon she betake
She's departing from Redcross again.
-
Soone as the Faerie heard his Ladie speake, Out of his swowning dreame he gan awake,
Every time he hears a sound from the lady, he then is always filled with a new strength (also seen in Canto 1). Almost like her voice reminds him of his love for her.
-
The cruell steele so greedily doth bight In tender flesh,
I love the sentences that Spencer creates, this is a much better way of saying they inflicted wounds to each others.
-
A shrilling trompet sownded from on hye, And vnto battaill bad them selues addresse: Their shining shieldes about their wrestes they tye, And burning blades about their heads do blesse, The instruments of wrath and heauinesse: With greedy force each other doth assayle, And strike so fiercely, that they do impresse Deepe dinted furrowes in the battred mayle; The yron walles to ward their blowes are weake & fraile.
Spencer always makes a point to provide a lot of details before battles, this is also seen with the serpent in canto 1 and hos he describes her tail.
-
Bardes
Horse armor, or a very long saddle. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/barde
-
Can neuer rest
Can never rest. What i'm noticing about this story is that the night is constantly on a adventure.
-
Whom broad awake she finds, in troublous fit, Forecasting
Again, the dreams seemed to predict the future.
-
darrayne
To defend, prove, or settle. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/darrayne
-
His eyes did hurle forth sparkles fiery red,
A very powerful image.
-
Snake
We see the re-occurance of another snake. The first monster was a serpent like form. Did snakes represent evil or represented a bibical reference?
-
Flora
Flora= Flowers, like new flowers https://www.florahealth.com/us/
-
e prancke
To prance or dance around. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prance
-
Some prancke their ruffes, and others trimly dight Their gay attire:
The seem to be trying to show off.
-
Lucifera
Is this a reference to a female lucifer?
-
Dragon
Is this the next adventure?
-
Porter hight Cald Maluenœ, who entrance none denide:
The porter was always granted access to the palace- he must of had s very high reputation or done something to deserve this.
-
beggerie
Lacking a good reason or cause; unmotivated. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/middle-english-dictionary/dictionary/MED29192
-
that true loue hath no powre To looken backe
True love doesn't focus on someones past or hold grudges on someone. True love is evolving and continuous.
-
To thinke that knighthood I so much should shame, As you to leaue, that haue me loued still,
He believes that he has brought shame to the code of knights.
-
And next her wrinkled skin rough sackcloth wore
She is a older woman , I always imagined her as very young.
-
With pittie calmd
The lions mood reflects the sad mood of the lady.
-
Thensforth from her most beastly companie I gan refraine, in
We don't really see love but just attraction based on physical beauty.
-
that did then shine as the Morning starre:
simile.
-
.
He is now consumed with guilt.
-
With bloudy mouth his mother earth did kis,
He "kissed the earth:, a beautiful way of saying he fell down on the ground.
-
rams
Again we see the reference of animals.
-
nd cared not for God or man a point.
He doesn't care about God, and he loses his religious aspect. He also doesn't care about men- he seems to have lost all of his beliefs that he held by knighthood.
-
Tithones
Goddess of dawn. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tithonus
-
false couple were full closely ment In wanton lust and lewd embracement:
Does he think that he sees them together and being intimate, but really nothing has happened?
-
Phoebus
Also known as Apollo, the God of the Sun. The sun is coming up. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebus_(disambiguation)
-
.
This reminds me of a lot of Greek stories, where dreams seem to predict the future or have a huge significance.
-
the daughter of a king
A princess
-
Gorgon, Prince of darknesse and dead night, At which Cocytus quakes, and Styx is put to flight.
More Greek character references.
-
Your first aduenture: many such I pray,
His first adventure was actually quite short.
-
strooke at her with more then manly force,
We see the idea occur that knights have some kind of superhuman strength, that someone else may not have (or deserve).
-
he lept As Lyon fierce vpon the flying pray,
Simile between the knight and a lion.
-
suddain all were gone
Is this foreshadowing that the mother and her children will die due to sunlight.
-