I'm wondering if anyone on the list can recall any point in the FQ that
would confirm, or even suggest, a consummated cross-species union
between Elf or Fay and human.
The question occurs to me in connection with Arthur's quest,
especiallly is it is "mirrored," so to speak, in Britomart's. Britomart
is devastated in part because she fears she has fallen in love with
nothing but an image; and isn't that just Arthur's predicament? In
III.iiii, when Merlin identifies Arthegall to Britomart and Glauce, he
gives a lot of emphasis to the fact that although the kinight "wonneth
in land of Fayeree," he "ios no Fary borne, ne sib at all / To Elfes,
but sprong of seed terrestriall."
It sounds to me as if part of what Merlin is saying, here, is that
Arthegall is a possible sexual partner for Britomart after all. Hence
the question about cross-species liaisons.
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