I was just puzzling over this passage and appreciate the different points
of view. I prefer Hamilton's reading because there is no evidence that
Gloriana has any particular love for Red Cross, but, as Hamilton says,
"precedence" demands that he have or at least profess love for Gloriana. He
later shows that love by leaving Una for Gloriana's service. Una here is
just a girl not the personification of anything. Allegory reinforces this.
Recall Lovelace's later but apposite, "I could not love thee dear so much,
loved I not honor (read Gloriana) more."(To Lucasta, Going to the Wars).At
03:49 AM 8/21/2007, you wrote:
>James and all ---
>
>I think Kellogg & Steele have it right. Redcrosse devotes this stanza to
>honoring Una and Arthur, to whom he owes his life. He hasn't yet
>recovered enough confidence in himself to compare his love for Una to
>Arthur's for the Faerie Queene: note his susceptibility to Despair and his
>need for Una's intervention to prevent his suicide.
>
>Cheers, Jon Q.
>
>-------------- Original message ----------------------
>From: "James W. Broaddus" <[log in to unmask]>
> >
> > Valued members of the list,
> >
> >
> >
> > In the episode in which Arthur, Una, and Redcrosse are recuperating in
> > Orgoglio's castle, does Redcrosse express love for Una or does he
> express his
> > appreciation of her love for him?
> >
> >
> >
> > Upon hearing of Arthur’s response to the Faery Queene’s declaration and
> > demonstration of her love for him, Una "thus to him gan say:"
> >
> > O happy Queene of Faries, that hast fownd
> >
> > Mongst many, one that with his prowesse
> >
> > Defend thine honour, and thy foes confownd;
> >
> > Una then comments on the rarity of such love: “True Loues are often
> sown, but
> > seldom grow on grownd” (ix.16). Redcrosse then declares to Una
> >
> > Thine, O then, said the gentle Redcrosse knight,
> >
> > Next to that Ladies loue, shalbe the place,
> >
> > O fayrest virgin, full of heauenly light,
> >
> > Whose wondrous faith, exceeding earthly race,
> >
> > Was firmest fixt in myne extremest case.
> >
> >
> >
> > Hamilton annotates:
> >
> > Ambiguity of precedence is required by the allegory, as Upton 1758
> suggests: the
> > knight declares that he will place his love for Una before—or more
> likely next
> > after his love for the Faerie Queene (Hamilton, 2001).
> >
> >
> >
> > Kellogg and Steele 's paraphrase provides the second possibility:
> >
> > "Your love, Una, shall have the most deserving place next to Gloriana's
> love,
> > for your faithful love was unswerving in my time of greatest
> inconstancy."
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks in advance for your responses.
> >
> >
> >
> > Jim Broaddus
> >
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