Jesus Christ and the Red Cross Knight
In his first book of The Faerie Queen, Edmund Spenser recites the tale of the Red Cross Knight and the many trials and tribulations that he encounters along his quest to save Princess Una's kingdom. Throughout the tale Spenser makes many allusions to the Red Cross Knight being a Christ-like character. All of the qualities and attributes which Red Cross develops along the way lead up to his personification of Christ on the third day of the dragon fight. Many of these allusions are contained in small images and references.
The first image that Spenser uses to relate the tale's significance to Christianity and Christ appears in canto I stanza iv:
A lovely Ladie rode him faire beside,
Upon a lowly Asse more white then snow,
Yet she much whiter,...
Seemed in heart some hidden care she had,
And by her line a milke white lambe she lad. (I.iv.)
An image from the New Testament can be grasped from this scene. Picture Red Cross as Joseph on his way to Bethlehem leading the Virgin Mother Mary, Princess Una, who is riding on an ass carrying Jesus Christ the Lamb of God in her womb or in this case behind her. Although through this image Red Cross is seen as Joseph and not Christ, it is understood later in the story that the lamb represents what Red Cross could become through the help of Una and the trials he will face during his quest. The vision of Una as the virgin Mother of Christ solidifies her as having such characteristics as chastity, truth, and innocence. Each of these cement Una in the role of a perfect Romance maiden, one who can lead her champion to his utmost potential: that of a true romance hero.
The adventures of Red Cross mirror the temptation in the dessert ...
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...dragon with his sword, which represents "God's Word", he aims at the mouth of the beast, "exemplifying Christ destroying Original Sin at the source and or Satan. (pg.150; foot#6)" By ideologically "killing Satan" Red Cross has reached his full potential and in the future will become St. George.
In this first book of The Fairie Queen Edmund Spenser embodies in his main character, the Red Cross Knight, humanity's battle with Satan and evil. Throughout the epic the Red Cross Knight and even Prince Arthur are, continually representing Jesus Christ and his victories on the Cross and at the end of time. They are both representing Jesus Christ in all that they do and the qualities of a good Christian. This personification of Christ culminates at the end of the story with the Red Cross Knight's victory over the dragon.
Bibliography:
Edmund Spenser's Fairie Queen
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Authors incorporate religious principles to set forth the moral characteristics and ideals expected of a person. Literary works are illustrated with biblical allusions to help express the message behind the plot of a story. The poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight integrates biblical beliefs to depict the views on human nature. In this work, Christian concepts are embedded into the poem to suggest the Green Knight’s characterization as God, a representation to test human nature’s fidelity.
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In Medieval Times knights are the protectors. The knights fight for, and obey the king. And for that reason Knight’s are in high rankings in the class system, compared to the peasants and merchants. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, people are going on the pilgrimage to Canterbury for Salvation. The knight is Chaucer’s ideal of a night should be. The knight is a highly principled killer who travels the world and fights for what he believes in with unequivocal bravery and valor.
Thesis Statement: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight shows the struggle between a good Christian man against the temptations of this world.
Hale, John K. “Spenser’s Faerie Queene, 1. 11. 52 and 53". Explicator. 53.1 (1994): 6-8.
The Knight served in the Crusades where he fought for his king and the preservation of his beliefs in Christianity. Honor and virtue were reflected in everything he did. The Knight represents one of the most admirable characters in literature and is revered because of what he stands for. Though the Parson did not fight in the Crusades like the Knight, he also served God. The Parson was a man of the church whose beliefs in Christianity were unyielding.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a medieval poem by an unknown author, written in Middle English in the 14th century. This poem is uncanny to most poems about heroism and knightly quests as it doesn’t follow the complete circle seen in other heroism tales. This poem is different to all the rest as it shows human weaknesses as well as strengths which disturbs the myth of the perfect knight, or the faultless hero. The author uses symbolism as a literary device in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to give the plot a deeper and more significant meaning. Symbolism is used to emphasise the difference of this heroism story against others and therefore symbolism is of great importance in this poem. The importance of the following symbols will be discussed in this paper; the pentangle, the colour green, the Green Knight, the exchange of winnings game, the axe and the scar. This paper argues the significance of the use of symbolism as a literary device in the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Lancelot, Bors, and Perceval all strive to become more like Galahad, and the author effectively uses these characters to teach his readers lessons about spiritual chivalry and personal salvation. The author provides each of these knights with a series of monks and hermits who counsel and guide him in the ways of spiritual chivalry, for only the most pure Christian knights have any hope of finding the Grail. The adventures of Perceval are very straightforward and easy to interpret, so he provides readers with a suitable introduction to spiritual chivalry and the importance of virginity, asceticism, and complete faith in God. The author faces Bors with more complicated challenges and visions than anything Perceval must handle; since the author tells Bors' adventures after Perceval's, readers should be more prepared to interpret their meaning and significance with regard to spiritual chivalry and personal salvation. The advice Lancelot receives from his series of monks and hermits shows readers the importance of confession and penance, but the author makes it clear that readers should not emulate Lancelot's life of sin ...
Even though many Pagan influences appear in the poem, Christian influences override them. An example would be when Beowulf saved the Danes from Grendel. He also expressed a fair attitude towards battles when he refused to use a weapon. The idea of loyalty, a hero, and a giver are all signs of Christianity. Beowulf could be seen as Christ when trying to help the people as Grendel could be compared to Satan who tries to destroy happiness and well-doing.
Sir Gawain and The Green Knight has prompted scholars to examine and diversely interpret the medieval narrative. One of the underlying questions that has been proposed embodies the analysis of the relationship between Christian and Pagan ideals and how knightly chivalry is influenced by religion during the Arthurian Romance period. It is no mistake that the two varied religious ideals are intertwined throughout the poem due to the nature of classical antiquity. Amidst the overlap between superstitious rituals and Orthodox- Christian beliefs it is clear that Sir Gawain has a sense of personal integrity guided by a moral compass.
The Knight fought in his sovereign’s wars in both Christian and heathen places, which shows he is a holy and honorable man by he followed his king’s commands, and he fought for religious purposes. 4. Roggiers reiterates that statement in his book The Art of the Canterbury Tales by saying "The Knights Tale is Chaucer’s own e...
Spenser, Edmund. "The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser: Canto XII." The Literature Network: Online Classic Literature, Poems, and Quotes. Essays & Summaries. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 June 2015.