Showing results by author "Edmund Spenser" in All Categories

This remarkable poem, dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I, was Spenser's finest achievement. The first epic poem in modern English, The Faerie Queene combines dramatic narratives of chivalrous adventure with exquisite and picturesque episodes of pageantry. At the same time, Spenser is expounding a deeply-felt allegory of the eternal struggle between Truth and Error....

This epic poem by Edmund Spenser is the longest poem in the English language. It is an allegorical work, written in praise of Queen Elizabeth I. Michael MacLiammoir reads a selection from Book III.

The Amoretti (meaning little love poems) is a sequence of 89 sonnets written in the tradition of the Petrarchan sonnets, a popular form for poets of the Renaissance period. Spenser’s sequence has been largely neglected in modern times, while those of his contemporaries William Shakespeare and Sir Philip Sidney have been acclaimed. However, because of the artistic skill, along with the emotion and the humor exhibited, these poems deserve a broader hearing, even though they may be somewhat difficult for the present-day reader, partly through Spenser’s love for words and expressions that were...

Dive into the enchanting world of Edmund Spensers masterpiece, The Faerie Queene, published between 1590 and 1596. This rich allegorical work unfolds on multiple levels, revealing timeless tales of virtue and adventure. Jeanie Lang noted that Spenser sought beauty and goodness in his writing, and from the myriad of stories woven into this epic, weve curated eight captivating narratives for you. Join us as we explore Una and the Lion, St. George and the Dragon, Britomart and the Magic Mirror, The Quest of Sir Gregory, Pastorella, Cambell and Triamond, Marinell the Sea-Nymphs Son, and Flormell ...

Amoretti by Edmund Spenser is a collection of 89 sonnets celebrating the poet’s courtship and eventual marriage to Elizabeth Boyle. Written in the Petrarchan tradition, the sonnets chronicle themes of love, longing, and devotion, blending passionate desire with spiritual reverence. Spenser portrays love as both a trial and a source of transcendent joy, often drawing on nature and mythological imagery to convey his emotions. Central to the sequence is the idea of love's permanence, culminating in marriage as an enduring union. The series reflects Renaissance ideals of beauty, virtue, and ...

Epithalamion is an ode included in an anthology, Amoretti, first published in 1595. Spenser's purpose was to celebrate his courtship of Elizabeth Boyle whose marriage with him is glorified in the Epithalamion.

Explore the timeless dance of love and devotion through the lens of poetic expression. This collection delves into the intricate dynamics of romantic pursuit and the emotional highs and lows that accompany it. These sonnets capture the essence of admiration, longing, and the eternal quest for connection, offering listeners a glimpse into the nuanced world of courtship and affection. Each week, our podcast presents a new full-length audiobook, carefully selected to bring you a diverse array of perspectives and styles from different times and places. This isn't a single narrative but a rich ...

The office of Poet Laureate is a high honour amongst poets. The ancient Greeks had the first idea, and their heroes and poets wore wreaths of laurel in honour of the god Apollo. Many countries now have a laureate, as do many societies and organisations. But perhaps ranked first among them all is that of our own Poet Laureate. Unfortunately no single authentic definitive record exists of the office of Poet Laureate of England. In some form it can be traced back to 1189 and Richard Canonicus, who was employed by Richard I with the title 'versificator Regis'.

One of the greatest of English poets, Edmund Spenser was born in East Smithfield, London, in 1552 and went to school at Merchant Taylors' School and later at Pembroke College, Cambridge. In 1579, he published The Shepheardes Calender, his first major work. Edmund journeyed to Ireland in July 1580, in the service of the newly appointed Lord Deputy, Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton. His time included the terrible massacre at the Siege of Smerwick. The epic poem The Faerie Queene is acknowledged as Edmund’s masterpiece.

This remarkable poem, dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I, was Spenser's finest achievement: the first epic poem in modern English. The Faerie Queene combines dramatic narratives of chivalrous adventure with exquisite and picturesque episodes of pageantry. At the same time, Spenser is expounding a deeply-felt allegory of the eternal struggle between Truth and Error.

Perhaps the most universally admired poem of this type. Written in 1595, Epithalamion is a poem written specifically for a bride.

Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body ...

The Sixth Book of the Faerie Queene contayning the Legende of S, Calidore or of Cvrtesie.' Apart from Books 1-6, the only surviving section of the Faerie Queene is a short isolated fragment known as the Mutabilitie Cantos (traditionally numbered Book 7, cantos 6-8); this fragment is also included in the present recording. Although the Faerie Queene was never completed, it continues to be one of the most beautiful and important works of literature ever written. Spenser wrote it as a paean to the Virgin Queen Elizabeth, and to the golden age which she had brought to England. Sponsored by Sir ...

The Fifth Book of the Faerie Queene contayning the Legende of Artegall or of Ivstice.This masterpiece was never completed, but it continues to be one of the most beautiful and important works of literature ever written. Spenser wrote it as a paean to the Virgin Queen Elizabeth, and to the golden age which he believed she had brought to England. Sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh and commended by the foremost literary minds of his day, Spenser's book remains one of the crowning poetic achievements of the Elizabethan period.

The Second Booke of the Faerie Queene contayning The Legende of Sir Guyon or of Tempaurance. The Faerie Queene was never completed, but it continues to be one of the most beautiful and important works of literature ever written. Spenser wrote it as a paean to the Virgin Queen Elizabeth, and to the golden age which she had brought to England. Sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh and commended by the foremost literary minds of his day, Spenser's book remains one of the crowning poetic achievements of the Elizabethan period.(Summary by Annise)This show includes AI-generated content.

"The Third Book of the Faerie Queene contayning the Legende of Britomartis or of Chastitie." The Faerie Queene was never completed, but it continues to be one of the most beautiful and important works of literature ever written. Spenser wrote it as a paean to the Virgin Queen Elizabeth, and to the golden age which she had brought to England. Sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh and commended by the foremost literary minds of his day, Spenser's book remains one of the crowning poetic achievements of the Elizabethan period.(Summary by Annise)

"The Fourth Book of the Faerie Queene contayning the Legende of Cambel and Telamond or of Friendship." The Faerie Queene was never completed, but it continues to be one of the most beautiful and important works of literature ever written. Spenser wrote it as a paean to the Virgin Queen Elizabeth, and to the golden age which she had brought to England. Sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh and commended by the foremost literary minds of his day, Spenser's book is considered one of the crowning poetic achievements of the Elizabethan period. (Summary by Annise)

"The First Book of the Faerie Queene Contayning The Legende of the Knight of the Red Crosse or Holinesse". The Faerie Queene was never completed, but it continues to be one of the most beautiful and important works of literature ever written. Spenser wrote it as a paean to the Virgin Queen Elizabeth, and to the golden age which she had brought to England. Sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh and commended by the foremost literary minds of his day, Spenser's book remains one of the crowning poetic achievements of the Elizabethan period.(Summary by Annise)

"These Sonnets furnish us with a circumstantial and very interesting history of Spenser's second courtship, which, after many repulses, was successfully terminated by the marriage celebrated in the Epithalamion. As these poems were entered in the Stationers' Registers on the 19th of November, 1594, we may infer that they cover a period of time extending from the end of 1592 to the summer of 1594. It is possible, however, that these last dates may be a year too late, and that Spenser was married in 1593. We cannot be sure of the year, but we know, from the 266th verse of the Epithalamion, that ...

Spenser planned a 24-book romance-epic consisting of two parts, of which he completed half of the first. The first twelve books were to illustrate the development of virtues within the individual soul, and the second twelve were to depict the application of these moral virtues to remedying evils that afflict the world. Each of the first set of quests was to begin at the court of the Fairy Queen, Gloriana, and the knights were to return thither after having defeated some foe representing a personal weakness. Having thus proved themselves, they were qualified to undertake the second quests, in ...