d as an introduction
to the poem. Stanzas 39-41 are especially beautiful.

102.15-19. The first of many titanic battles between armed
knights.

103.0-9. Una finds her champion in the gentle lion.

104.17-36. Spenser's rendition of the Seven Deadly Sins is
grotesquely medieval in tone.

105.19-28. The goddess Night prepares to descend into hell. The
quality of Spenser's imagination defeats what may have been his
original intention to produce a pastiche here. For example, the
choice of the word "tarre" at 105.28:8 evinces artistry of the
highest order.

107.1-7. The Redcross Knight brought low. You are challenged
not to want to continue reading this canto!

107.38-41. Prince Arthur's "goodly reason, and well guided
speach".

108.45-50. The spoiling of Duessa.

109.35-54. The counsel of Despair. The central stanzas are
often quoted out of context; 109.40 was raided by Joseph Conrad
for his epitaph.

111.8-55. The Redcross Knight slays the dragon.

112.9-11. Spenser's sense of humour, at its most savage in Book
III, here shows a gentler face.

204.16-32. The confession of Phedon. Spenser's handling of this
old story is both vivid and economical.

205.28-34. Cymochles in the Bower of Bliss. The sensuousness of
the poet's imagination is still, unbelievably, developing, and
has yet further to go.

207. Mammon's cave. One of Milton's favourite cantos. The
word-picture of Mammon himself (207.3-4) is quite superb.

210.7-11. The long chronicle of Britain, often dismissed as
tedious, nevertheless contains many striking images. See the
potted _King Lear_ at 210.27-32.

212.30-33. Guyon tempted by the mermaids. The whole of this
canto is recommended to the new reader; see especially 212.42-45,
212.58-82.

301.20-30. Britomart rescues the Redcross Knight.

302.17-27. Britomart falls for Arthegall.

304.17 is one of the most graphic stanzas in the _FQ_.
Cymodoce's grief, 304.29-39, is wonderfully portrayed.

305.41-48. Timias's love for Belphoebe.

308.0-19. The Snowy Florimell. This is just a specimen: cantos
308-310 are mercilessly funny.

311.47-49. The image of Cupid, quite different in conception
from Venus's "little sonne" of 306.11 ff.

312.1-27. The Masque of Cupid.

If your interest has been now been aroused, I suggest you read
the Letter to Raleigh before venturing on your journey through
the landscape of _The Faerie Queene_.

You will find there a spacio