Faire Queen

The Redcrosse Knight meets Despair in Book I, Canto IX, XX-LIV. Although this poem was written on several allegorical levels, the main interest here is the moral allegory.

Out of the initial adventures in Book I, a figure known as the Redcrosse Knight (Holiness) emerges. He would willingly serve Una or Truth, and yet he cannot always differentiate between Truth and her imitations.

When the Redcrosse Knight goes forth from the House of Archimago (Hypocrisy) he is alone. Redcrosse is somewhat similar to Abraham, who journeyed from the country of his fathers to become a stranger in the Land of Promise. And yet, like the Church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:4, Redcrosse fluctuates with regard to Truth and Faith. This leaves him quite vulnerable to all varieties of temptations. One such temptation is Despair, who is one of the most problematic personifications in Spenser.

THE REDCROSSE KNIGHT AND GOOD AND EV

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tims that their only recourse is to commit suicide. Redcrosse, however, believes he can successfully cope with Despair's cleverness and seeks his Cave. Upon arriving at the Cave of Despair, Redcrosse enters and searches for Despair, whose to behold: "Which piteous spectacle, approving trew/The wofull tale that Trevisan had told,/Whenas the gentle Redcrosse knight did vew,/With firie zeal he burnt in courage bold/Him to avenge before his blood were cold. . . ." (Book I, Canto IX, XXXVII) Redcrosse is determined to punish Despair for his many misdeeds. However, this is but another example of the continual battle between good and evil. Redcrosse has free will. If he seems to prefer evil to good at certain times, it is his choice. Thus, Redcrosse has chosen to pit himself against Despair regardless of Despair's enormous powers of seduction. Despair is able to seduce people into taking their own lives; and very likely, Redcrosse will soon discover that he is not immune to this form of temptation. THE REDCROSSE KNIGHT AND THE POWER OF DESPAIR'S ARGUMENTS Despair immediately begins to work on Redcrosse's frailties. Consequently, Despair says: "What if some little payne the passage have,/That makes frayle flesh to fear the bi
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Approximate Word count = 1446
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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