One of my colleagues, whose specialty is Anglo-Saxon
poetry, asks the following question of Spenser scholars:

"Who has done--or is doing--the best work on the (presumed) reason for the
Alexandrine at the end of the 'Spenserian stanza?'  Was Spenser simply
making over the Latin hexameter line, or do we suspect another source or
inspiration? Has anyone ever looked at Old English hypermetric verse in
this connection?"

A good beginning answer would be the entry on "alexandrine" in the Spenser
Encyclopedia, which mentions Virgil, the twelfth-century Roman d'Alexandre,
Surrey, Turbervile, and Marot.  Any ideas about the potential connection
between Spenser's use of the alexandrine and Old English verse?
Thank you for any responses you might have.

Jennifer Vaught

Jennifer C. Vaught
Department of English
PO Box 44691
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Lafayette, LA 70504-4691
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
work phone: (337) 482-5481
fax: (337) 482-5071