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英美文学导论课程辅导
EDMUND SPENSEER (1552?---1509)
Spenser was born in a rather poor family, his father being a journeyman cloth maker, but later he claimed to be related to the aristocratic Spenser family of Althorpl. However, the Merchant Taylor’s school he attended was one of the greatest Humanistic schools of the English Renaissance, where he received a solid education and learned classic languages and literary masterpieces. It was at this school that Spenser came to know Edmund Frindal, an examiner at the school and later Archbishop of Canterbury, to whom Spenser paid tribute in The Shepherd’s Calendar in 1579. He carried on his education in Pembroke College, Cambridge as a sizar, a student who offered services in exchange for a scholarship. In this college, he was instructed by Dr. Joseph Young, who later became Bishop of Rochester, and Spenser worked for a short time for him as a secretary. These church authorities represented the religious views with which Spenser identified himself. Spenser took a B. A at Cambridge in 1573 and an M.A in 1576. After a brief service in the household of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, whom Spenser deeply respected and Portrayed in the person of Arthur in The Faerie Queene, he became secretary in 1580 to Lord Grey of Wilton, who was at the time Lord Deputy of Ireland and who later appeared in the person of Artegall in The Faerie Queene. Except for an interruption of two years (1590---1591) and short visits to England, Spenser spent the rest of his life in Ireland for as long as 18 years, during which period he held a succession pf posts, such as Clerk of the Chancery for Faculties and Clerk of the Council of Munster. After he became prebendary of Limerick Cathedral, he was assigned in 1586 by the government Kilcolman Castle near Cork with 3028 acres of land, which was part of the forfeited estate property form the Earl of Desmond after the failure of his insurrection. It was at this time that Sir Walter Raleigh visited Ireland and listened to Spenser recite the completed sections of The Faerie Queene. In the autumn of 1589, Spenser sailed back to England with Sir Walter Raleigh and visited the court of Queen Elizabeth. He was granted a pension for life in 1591 of 50 pounds in recognition of the presentation of the first 3 books of The Faerie queene to Queen Elizabeth. He had also a yearly salary and a considerable dowry brought to him by marrying Elizabeth Boyle in 1594. In Ireland Spenser continued to lead the life of a landed gentleman and was made the Sheriff of Cork. But the historical, social and economic situation in Ereland was deplorable. The military suppression of the Desmond insurrection was very cruel. However, Spenser supported Lord Grey in taking severe methods. In A View of the Present State of Ireland, he approved of using sword and famine as instruments to change Ireland in the way England wanted. Yet the Irish people never ceased their fight. In 1598 the long dangerous rebellion of Tyrone O’ Neill broke out. Kilcoman Castle was burned down and Spenser was driven from his home. He arrived in London on Christmas Eve of 1598, and in less than a month, he died in poverty.
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Spenser’s first important work is The Shepherd’s Calendar, a pastoral poem in 12 parts, one for each month of the year. It is written in the tradition of Virgil’s verse dialogues in a rural setting with shepherds and shepherdesses who adopt classical, French, or English peasant names. The poet’s intention is to give different description of the English countryside at each particular time of the year, but the main themes embodied in the poem are love, poetry, and religion. The Shepherd’s Calendar set the pastoral fashion in English literature, and inaugurated the great lyrical poetry of the last two decades of the 16th century.
His major achievement, The Faerie Queene, is an unfinished allegorical romance. According to Spenser’s original plan there should be 12 books, each telling the adventures of one of the 12 knights dispatched by the Faerie Wueene, Gloria, who represents Glory and Queen Elizabeth in particular. In the introductory letter to Sir Walter Raleigh, Spenser explicitly states his intentions. He says that the book is to be “ a continued allegory” and the theme is to “fashion a gentleman or noble person in virtuous and gentle discipline.” Spenser’s historical period, that of the Renaissance, was greatly concerned with the idea of “gentleman”, which is a kind of humanistic parallel to the medieval idea of the “saint”. According to the thought of the day, the virtuous man is one who knows how to govern him, and thus is qualified to govern others. In The Faerie Queene, Spenser makes a distinction between “ethical” virutes and “political” virtues. Although Aristotle once said that “the good citizen may not be a good man” the good citizen is one who does good service to his state, and the state may be had in principle” (politics), he still identifies the good ruler with the good man. Spenser follows the idea of Aristotle’s and tries to demonstrate it in The Faerie Queene in the education of the young future rulers. The central character, Arthur before he was king, is presented as such a good man, not only wise politically but also perfected in the 12 moral values as devised by Aristotle. However, Spenser only completed six of the books, in which the six virtues of Truth, Temperance, Friendship, Justice, Chastity, and Courtesy are presented.
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