In the third book of The Fairie Queene, Spenser makes a comprehensive
study of the virtue of chastity through the different characters. He
departs from the formula he used previously and sets up a new tone that is
more complex and sensual. In so doing, he shows how some characters are
made stronger and happier by practicing virtue and other characters are
ruined by ignoring it--thus fulfilling the didactic purpose of teaching
all the virtues that create a perfect person fit for salvation.

The main character that Spenser uses to represent chastity is the Lady
Knight Britomart. Britomart is constant in her quest to find her love, the
knight Arthegall, and fulfill her destiny foretold by the oracle. Her
devotion and commitment to Arthegall makes her the ideal representation of chastity and sets the standard by which the rest of the characters will be compared. No matter who she meets or what situation she gets into, she never forgets her commitment to Arthegall. She ignores the courting of knights who appear worthy enough, such as Paridell, and continues to
search for her love whenever she is not aiding someone. This kind of
chastity is reflected in the character of Florimell. Florimell also
searches for her love, the fallen knight Marinell, and encounters one test
after another of her virtue. She gets captured by the Forester and chased
by the Beast of the Witch. On the verge of the death in these perils her
only concern is retaining her honour (chastity) so as to remain worthy of
Marinell. She never willingly lets the Fisherman touch her and she ignores
all the wooing of the sea god Proteus. Like Britomart, Florimell remains
faithful to her love.

There are characters that represent the opposite of the ideal Britomart
and Florimell (among others) represent. The Giantess Argante is one. Her
incestuous relationship with her brother and her sexual promiscuity with
every young male she can kidnap makes her an example of unchastity. In
addition, the Squire Argante kidnapped represents unchastity. His strange
quest to find as many chaste women as unchaste women results in his
finding a huge number of unchaste women requesting his services and only
three chaste women denying. Then there's the couple Paridell and
Hellenore--who represent Paris and Helen, who caused the Trojan War with their unfaithfulness. Their affair winds up in the rape of Hellenore and her abandonment among the Satyrs and the fall of Malbecco.

These examples of love true and love perverted set the sensual tone of the third Book. Here chastity represents commitment as well as abstinence. Britomart's destiny is to procreate with Arthegall and make a glorious line of kings. Florimell remains abstinent in the face of danger and allure (with the possibility of being with a god, Proteus). The Giantess
and the Squire wallow in unfaithfulness. There are numerous sexual acts in the Book and even the landscape has sensual overtones: Timias being
attacked in a lush valley by the Forester who is wielding a spear; the
location of the Witch's cottage; and especially the Garden of Adonis with
its descriptions that are very reminiscent of female genitalia with a
large mountain in the Garden's center.

Spenser's Book of chastity explores the whole gamut of possibilities
around the virtue. By changing the style of narrative somewhat--by using
more characters and more sensual themes--he makes a more complex
examination that forces the reader to ponder the virtue of chastity and
what relevance it can have in our lives.
Submitted by Christopher L. Yazzie

Characters' Allegorical Meanings

Main Good Characters

Britomartis--Chastity
Satyrane--Half man/Satyr
Arthur--Christ
Guyon--Temperance
Red Cross Knight--Holiness
Belphoebe--Chastity Linked To Love
Amoret--Pleasure and Married Love
Florimell--Beauty
Artegall--Equal To Arthur

Main Bad Characters

Archimago--Hypocracy
Argante--Female Lust
Ollyphant--Male Lust
Busirane--Cruelty

Object Allegories

Sanglamort(Sword)--Bloody Death

Minor Good Characters

Palmer--Reason(Humanity)
Dwarfe--Reason(Heavenly)
Timias--Sir Walter Raleigh
Dumarin--Of The Sea
Liagore--White-Armed
Chrysogonee--Golden-Born
Squyre Of Dames--Social Abuse Of Love
Palladine--Chastity, Wisdom
Calidore--Courtesy
Scudamore--Shield Of Love

Minor Bad Characters

Braggadocchio--Braggart Warrior
Trompart--Publicity

House of Busirane

Ease--Ease
Fancy--Fancy
Doubt--Doubt
Feare--Fear
Hope--Hope
Dissemblance--Similation,Concealment
Suspect--Suspect
Griefe--Griefe
Fury--Fury
Displeasure--Displeasure
Pleasance--Pleasure
Despight--Despite
Cruelty--Cruelty
Reproach--Reproach
Repentance--Repantance
Shame--Shame
Strife--Strife
Anger--Anger
Care--Care
Unthriftihead--Non-Thrift
Losse Of Time--Loss Of Time
Sorrow--Sorrow
Chaunge--Change
Disloyaltie--Disloyalty
Riotise--Riotous
Dread--Dread
Infirmitie--Infirmity
Povertie--Poverty
Death--Death

Ambiguous Characters

Proteus--Of The Sea?
Panope--All-Seeing
Paridell--Paris
Malbecco--Jealousy
Hellenore--Flirtatiousness
Malecasta--Wanton
Marinell--Pure Celebacy

Castle Joyeous And The Six Knights

Gardante--Looking
Parlante--Speaking
Iocante--Joking
Basciante--Kissing
Bacchante--Revelling
Noctante--Late Nights

Humorous Lust

In Book III of The Faerie Queen, Spenser addresses qualities in
characters that are excessive enough to promote negative behavior. One
such quality is lust, which is excessive physical desire for another
person or object. By illustrating examples of lust in Book III, Spenser
gives his readers his definition of true love..
Spensers detail of lustful acts and thoughts are unique in his
Book III of The Faerie Queen. They can be seen in Mallecastas
attentiveness to Britomart and in the kidnapping of the Squire of Dames by
Oligante. They can be seen in Paridells rape of Hellenore and Hellenores
leaving Malbecco to live a very active life with the satyres. All these
acts are not extolled by Spenser because lust is shameful and
dishonorable. However, none of the characters suffer negative
consequences. Paridell goes on his merry way as a respected knight of the
Faeries court. Hellenore has no regrets of leaving her husband to lead in
erotic life with the satyres. Oligante is not dead at the end of Book III
and even Mallecasta, Spensers shameful Dame, has not been swallowed up by the earth. It seems hypocritical that a quality quoted as shameful and
dishonorable by Spenser, is seen and not punished for in his characters.
This ambiguity seen in Book III of The Faerie Queen can be
explained by observing Spensers characters actions in a humorous context.
The incidents with Mallecasta, Oligante, Paridell, and Hellinore involve
subtle humor. Mallecasta's lying nervously aside Britomart in her
false impression of Britomar as a man and Oligante's rampage for men are
not detailed in a serious tone. Indeed, the escape of Hellenore with
Paridell (while Malbecco is trying to save his money) and her refuge
afterwards is comical. Lust, in Spensers view, is dishonorable and
shameful because it makes the individual act like a fool. Where true love
is serious enough that men die for it and poetry idealizes it, lust is
comical and deserves scorn and an ironic laugh. Lust is a twisting of
respectability into a tangled mess of comedy. To Spenser, love transcends
this physical comedy and enters a world of reverence and spiritual
admirability.
In the world today, many have given up on the concept of true love
believing that there is a material intent hidden in sugary words of
devotion. Perhaps people should heed Spensers message that love is more
then an attractive partner, a house, two cars, and a white picket fence.
Love is spiritual and not a comedy act.
Contributed by SEHBA KUDIYA

Guyon and Arthur are travelling through the forest when they meet

Britomart and her Squire who are searching for Arthegall. Guyon and Britomart engage in battle, and Guyon is thrown to the ground by her magic lance. They introduce themselves and become friendly. A fair lady (Florimell) comes from out of the woods obviously running from some danger. Guyon and Arthur go to her aid while Britomart proceeds on to the Castle Joyeous. Here she finds the RCK being attacked by six knights.
Britomart saves him and they are welcomed into the castle. At night,
the lady of the house (Malecasta) sneaks into bed with Britomart and
startles her. Britomart is so upset that she nearly kills Malecasta.
The lady's' six knights come to her rescue. One of the knights
(Gardante) shoots an arrow into Britomart's side. With the help of
the RCK they make their way out and on with thier journey.

Canto Two
While the RCK and Britomart and travelling, she tells him why she is
in search of Arthegall. At first she tells him that she wants to
avenge some wrong that he did to her. The RCK is suprised and
explains to Britomart that Arthegall is a great person. Then
Britomart expains the truth about how she actually fell in love with
Arthegall from looking into Merlin's mirror, and how her nurse

Canto Three
Britomart and her nurse (Glauce) go to Merlin's cave to either find a
remedy for Britomart's love, or to learn where to find Arthegall.
Merlin tells Britomart that her falling in love with Arthegall is not
magic, but fate. Then he goes on to tell her about future events
that involve she, Arthegall, and their children. Britomart decides
to seek out Arthegall while in disguise as a knight. Britomart
acquires magic weapons and good armour. At this point, her story is
complete and she takes leave of the RCK.

Canto Four
While searching for Arthegall near the sea, Britomart and Glauce run across Marinell. Marinell and Britomart end up fighting.
Marinell is seriously wounded by Britomart, but she wastes no time
and is off again to continue her search. Marinell's mother, Cymoent
receives word that her son has been injured. She and all of her
sisters cross the sea in their chariots pulled by dolphins to see
Marinell. When they find Marinell, he is very near death. They take
him to Tryphon, the sea god's leach, to be healed. Meanwhile, Arthur
catches a glimpse of Florimell while travelling through the forest.
He chases her, because he wants to help her. Unfortunatelly, she is
afraid of him and constantly runs.

Canto Five
Eventually, Arthur comes across a Dwarfe who is also looking for
Florimell. The Dwarfe explains that Florimell was in love with
Marinell. After heariing that he was either dead or close to death,
she left immediately to see him, dead or alive. Arthur agrees to
help the Dwarfe search for Florimell. Meanwhile, Arthur's Squire is
attacked by a Foster and his two brothers looking for revenge. The
Squire manages to kiss all three of the Fosters, but is badly
wounded. The noble hunteresse Belphoebe finds him and nurses him
back to health. The Squire falls in love with Belphoebe, but feels
unworthy of her love.

Canto Six
The story of Belphoebe and Amoret's birth is told.
The Gardins of Adonis are described.

Canto Seven

Florimell finds rest at a little cottage in the woods. The cottage
is inhabited by a witch and her son. The witches son falls in love
with Florimell and becomes very upset when she runs away. His mother
summons a beast to retrieve Florimell for her son. Florimell escapes

the beast by climbing into a fisherman's boat and going out to sea.

Her horse is not as lucky and gets eaten by the beast. Satyrane

comes along and finds the beast and immediately thinks that it has

eaten Florimell. Satyrane captures the beast but releases it when he

comes across Argante the Geauntesse. The Geauntesse has captured the

Squyre of Dames and Satyrane tries to help him. Satyrane is just not

capable of killing Argante. However, the chaste knight Palladine is

strong enough and is able to kill Argante.

Canto Eight

The witches son is very sad to think that the beast has killed

Florimell. To ease his pain, the witch conjures up a Snowy Lady that
looks like Florimell. While the witches son and Florimell are

hanging out in the forest, Braggadocchio comes along and takes the

Snowy Lady away. A little bit later, yet another knight takes her

away form Baraggadocchiio. The real Florimell is attacked by the

fisherman in the boat. Proteus hears her screaming

and comes to her rescue. Proteus takes her to his cave and tries to

tempt her. When nothing works, he puts her in his dungeon.

Meanwhile, the Squire of Dames and Satyrane run into Paridell and

tell him they think that Florimell is dead.

Canto Nine

Satyrane and Paridell decide to rest for the night in a nearby

castle. Melbecco, the lord of the castle refuses to let any knights

in, however, because his wife is such a flirt. After conversiing

with a Carle at the door of the castle, they are forced to go

somewhere else to sleep. They find a shed close by the castle and

settle in there. A little while later, another knight is

refused at the door of the castle and enters into the same shed.

Paridell does not want to share quarters with this knight and ends up

fighting him. Satyrane breaks up the fight, and they all decide to

set the castle on fire unless they let them in. Malbecco decides to
let them in only because of fear. Inside the castle, the unknown

knight turns out to be Britomart. Everyone sits down to dinner, and

Malbecco's wife, Helene, is introduced. During conversation over

dinner, Paridell and Britomart find out that they share common

ancestry.

Canto Ten

Satyrane and Britomart leave the castle in the morning without

Paridell. He remains at the castle because he is sore from his fight

with Britomart. Paridell and Helene are having an affair while he is

at the castle. Helene decides to run away with Paridell. She sets

the castle on fire to see if her husband would try to talk her into

staying or try to save his riches. Malbecco chooses to save his

riches, but when his castle is burnt to the ground he leaves to find

his wife. Malbecco uses his treasures to hire Braggadocchio and

Tromparts to help. But they are just interested in stealing his

treasures. They find that Paridell has left Helene alone in the

woods. The Satyres find Helene and take her to be their maid. When

Malbecco finds her, she refuses to leave with him. Meanwhile,

Braggadocchio and Tromparts have stolen his treasure. Malbecco is so

forlorn that he tries to kill himself. When he cannot even do that,

he builds a new house on the side of a cliff and lives in sorrow.
Canto Eleven

While travelling through the woods, Britomart finds Ollyphant,

Argante's brother, chasing someone. She decides to help the poor

person that the giant is harassing and comes across Scudamour

lamenting the loss of his love, Amoret. The evil Busirane has

captured her and is forcing her, through enchantment, to love him.

Britomart vows to help rescue Amoret. She enters alone into

Businare's house.

Canto Twelve

Britomart walks around the quiet house looking at all of the pictures

on the walls. She watches as all of the maskers march around.

Britomart sees Amoret with her heart cut out and under some evil

spell. She waits until Busirane is alone and confronts him.

Busirane stabs her in the chest, and Britomart nearly kills him for

it. She spares his life so that he can reverse the enchantment that

is over Amoret. Britomart and Amoret escape from the house and
Scudamour is reunited with his love.

Contributors: Leslie Hansen, Jennifer Korb, David Forsythe.