English 177 - Spring, 2011

Study of an Individual Author

Topic: Edmund Spenser and Allegory

Class Information

Instructor: Pivetti, Kyle
CRN: 53197
Time: TR 1:40-3:00
Location: 101 Olson

Description

Edmund Spenser claims that with The Faerie Queene, his extended allegory of Christian values, he hopes “fashion a gentleman or noble person in virtuous and generous discipline.” In this class, we will examine the poem’s knights, monsters, and heroines to see whether Spenser achieves this goal, and indeed what that goal actually entails. This means we will study the poem in relation to its historical and literary contexts, reading Spenser’s sonnets and prose as sources for his famous allegory. For example, how does The Faerie Queene present Ireland as a place to be colonized? How is the language of love poetry related to the violence of Arthurian legends? And how do we adjust our reading strategies for allegory? These questions will require that we read carefully a poet who communicates with images of medieval heroes, threats of magical deception, and even subtle wordplay.
In the last weeks of the class, we will turn to some contemporary allegories to see whether Spenser’s literary strategies can be taken seriously today. We will see, for instance, the images of Arthurian knights turned upside down and animals made to embody human traits. These examples will invite us to consider the continued relevance of allegory, and the unique reading that allegory requires. By the end of the quarter, you should question not only the artistic and political motivations behind what Spenser describes as his “dark conceit,” but also whether a “dark conceit” can be made to mean anything at all.

Grading

Two papers, midterm, final, and participation