Reading Notes: Faerie Queene Britomart: Reading B

 The Enchanted Chamber

• I thought the characters in this story were very interesting, but I couldn't tell if they were real or just created by the Enchanter. I liked that some of the characters personified emotions, similar to how later characters personified strife and falsehood. The interactions between some of the characters, like fear and danger or pleasure and displeasure, were cool to see and show how the author views these emotions. The outfits of each character revealed more about their personalities, like Danger's weapons Mischief and Mischance, Hope's phial of dew that grants favors, and Pleasure and Displeasure's honeybee and wasp.
• I didn't quite understand why the creature who symbolized love took pleasure in the suffering and captivity of Amoret. If the character represents the Enchanter's love, I thought it would be unhappy since he doesn't truly love her. This might show that his love is possessive and untrue.
• My favorite characters that I might want to base a story on are Ease, Fancy, Desire, Hope, Grief, and Love. My story could tell about how these personified emotions interact with normal people.
• Ease
• wears "costly raiment" and carries a laurel branch, which typically symbolizes triumph
• the first to enter the room in the procession, and the first to leave
• Fancy
• I think "fancy" refers to fleeting wants, not something designed elaborately
• dressed in painted feathers and carries a fan
• dances around as he walks
• Desire
• extravagant dress
• embroidered hat that doesn't stay on right
• carries sparks that he blows into flames
• contrasted with fancy
• Hope
• pretty, cheerful maiden
• wears "samite," which is a luxurious, heavy silk embroidered with silver or gold
• long hair is braided with gold
• carries dew that she can sprinkle on whoever she wishes, granting them favors
• shows "a great liking to many people, but true love to few."
• Grief
• wears fur
• hangs his head
• carries pincers to pinch people "to the heart"
• Love
• most powerful of the castle
• rides on a lion
• rainbow-colored wings
• usually blindfolded
• carries darts which he shoots haphazardly

Image Source: Faerie Queene book from University of Glasgow libraries.

Story Source: Stories from the Faerie Queene by Mary Macleod, with drawings by A. G. Walker (1916).