A Year in Faerie Land

Cait Murphy-Hurrell

0.0 (0)
Arts
Updated Weekly

A year-long read-along of Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene. This isn’t just about reading a poem (for a poem it is); it’s about exploring a foundational text, understanding its profound influence, and perhaps most importantly, discovering the sheer joy of Spenser’s storytelling and poetic genius in good company. caitmurphyhurrell.substack.com

5d ago

Book 3, Cantos 1 - 4

Welcome back faery travellers! It has been a while back I am so excited to be back with you all for our read-along. Today we meet Britomart, our female knight and the knight of chastity. She is a key image of Elizabeth I, the body politic that can act like a king in conquest while also being a woman. Spenser is very deliberate in his use of images within the first cantos, not only aligning Britomart with Elizabeth I, but establishing her power and authority as the true monarch of Britain! Do let me know what your first impressions of Britomart are from these initial cantos. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit caitmurphyhurrell.substack.com/subscribe

20 min
May 5

Book 2, Cantos 9-12

My deepest apologies all for the delay in getting this voice to you all, and especially for the long listen as we wrap up Book 2. Our last few cantos take us from the House of Temperance through to the Bower of Bliss, from Arthur’s deep dive into British history, to the overlap of images of Circe and Eve in the Garden of Eden. We wrap up the book with Guyon’s capture of Acrasia and reveal in the foreign or othering images that Spenser utilises to create a distinct English identity. In May we will begin our journey of Chastity in Book 3. We are provided with many lustful images of wanton women in Book 2, so it is natural to transition to the emblem of chastity, the women knight Britomart, in Book 3. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit caitmurphyhurrell.substack.com/subscribe

40 min
Apr 13

Book 2, Canto 7 & 8

My sincere apologies for the delay in getting this update to you all, I have a feeling that as I approach confirmation in May, this might happen more often than not (take this as a warning now, lol). But today we accompany Guyon and Mammon, the God of money, through hell where Mammon attempts to tempt Guyon off the path of temperance with money, health and lust and with each attempt failing as Guyon says no. As the knight of temperance, this is good. He exhibits how daily temptations could lead even strongest man into the road of ruin. Guyon during this time is in a trance, being watched by a guardian angel when the Palmer finds him. The two brothers, Pyrochles and Cymochles, accompanied by Atin and Archimago, discover Guyon and rob him of his armour despite the Palmer’s protests when Arthur arrives. Arthur is distraught by the borther’s actions but Pyrochles has Arthur’s sword that Archimago stole for him - and in anger both the brother fight Arthur who defeats them with the help of the Palmer who gives Arthur Guyon’s sword. Once defeated, Guyon awakes from his trance and the Palmer tells him what has happened and he thanks Arthur for all his assistance. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit caitmurphyhurrell.substack.com/subscribe

20 min
Apr 2

Book 2, Canto 6

In much of the same way that Error foreshadowed the Dragon that Redcrosse would defeat, so too does Phaedrra foreshadow Acrasia and Guyon’s strength against temptation This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit caitmurphyhurrell.substack.com/subscribe

12 min
Mar 25

Book 2, Canto 4 (remaining) & 5

I will be honest that I find the upcoming parade of knights that fight in the next couple of cantos rather dull - all the knights seem to do is fight each other, rather than going on their merry way to complete their quests. But, perhaps that is a personal opinion. The purpose of this parade of unworthy opponents is to highlight how Guyon, as the knight of temperance, has the strength of character appropriate for a knight and a representative of the faery court. This is no doubt lesson in duality, each of the knights that Guyon fights is his opposite in their actions, but it also tends to reflect how this behaviour should not be tolerated in the royal court and, I speculate, is Spenser’s attempt to win favour with Queen Elizabeth I. What I find interesting here, once again, is how the men act so irrationality and yet, the women are the ones still villainised, but this is the core of my research and so it would interest me. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit caitmurphyhurrell.substack.com/subscribe

15 min
Mar 17

Book 2, Canto 3 & 4 (up to stanza 15)

We get to meet Braggadachio, the braging, proud and very cowardly man, who has stolen Sir Guyon’s horse and threatened his squire to serve him. Braggadachio is meant to be that antithesis here. Guyon, as temperance, encounters a number of characters that are meant to be the opposite of what he is meant to represent to the readers. This includes Braggadachio, especially when he meets Belpheobe, one of the images that Spenser ascribes to Elizabeth I. An image of Diana, the huntress, Belpheobe is also an image of goodliness and is treated as a goddess by Trompart. He shows her the due respect that she deserves and what is expected from her court. Braggadachio does not suit this, he is not chivalrous in his actions and attempts to grab her. She rebuffs him and flees. We then join Guyon and the Palmer who encounter Furor (Fury) and Occasion, where a clear lesson is evident here: Occasion provides the words that prompt Fury into action. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit caitmurphyhurrell.substack.com/subscribe

18 min
Mar 10

Book 2, Canto 1 & 2

Welcome to our next book of The Faerie Queene, the book of temperance. Temperance is the virtue of moderation, acting rationally and with self-restraint. Throughout this book we will encounter instances where our knight, Sir Guyon, is exposed to extremes and it is in the extremes that his journey finds the median. We encounter some of our previous enemies here too, Archimago and Duessa, as well as some new enemies, namely Acrasia. Within this book you will find a number of maritime and voyage imagery and I am curious as to why you think that is? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit caitmurphyhurrell.substack.com/subscribe

20 min
Mar 1

Book 1, Final Cantos

Hello everyone and welcome to our final installment of Book 1! Thank you so much for those that have been listening along for the last two months. I hope you have enjoyed your own journey through the Book of Holiness! The battle with the dragon takes three days and Redcrosse Knight is tested! Note in particular the imagery that is repeated from Redcrosse’s battle with Errour. He is knocked back on the first and second days of the battle, being revived by the well of life and the tree of life, while Una watches on and prays. On the third day he is successful in defeating the Dragon by being swallowed and running his sword down the Dragon’s throat. The dragon falls. The castle is freed and Una’s mother and father welcome Redcrosse and Una. The castle rejoices and even though Duessa attempts to claim that Redcrosse is bound to her, Redcrosse and Una are married and the celebration is joyous! Redcrosse, however, does not forget his oath to the Faery Queene, whom he is bound to serve for six more years, and so he sets off in her service. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit caitmurphyhurrell.substack.com/subscribe

15 min

A year-long read-along of Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene. This isn’t just about reading a poem (for a poem it is); it’s about exploring a foundational text, understanding its profound influence, and perhaps most importantly, discovering the sheer joy of Spenser’s storytelling and poetic genius in good company. caitmurphyhurrell.substack.com

Creator

Cait Murphy-Hurrell
Years Active

2K
Episodes

19
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Cait Murphy-Hurrell
Show Website

A Year in Faerie Land