Constructing Iconic Englishness: Queen Elizabeth and The Faerie Queene.
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2014-06-15
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en
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The aim of this thesis has been to establish whether or not Spenser’s Faerie Queene, which is dedicated to Queen Elizabeth, can be seen as a contribution to iconic Englishness. To this end, I have analysed Spenser’s appropriation of the Arthurian legend, his use of virtues and vices, and the characters he created to represent different aspects of Elizabeth. This resulted in discovering a discrepancy between the author’s intention, which was to instruct on self-fashioning, and the end result; an accolade of the Queen. The Arthurian legend is altered in such a way that it fits the purpose of legitimising Elizabeth’s claim to the throne. Spenser’s moral instructions on virtues and vices mainly serve to promote Protestantism and temperance and to stress the importance of equity in achieving justice. Lastly, he glorifies Elizabeth’s virtuousness by incorporating her admirable qualities in different female characters.
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Faculteit der Letteren