Rating: 
Summary: The writing and the artistry save the day.
Review: "For the method of a poet historical is not such as of an historiographer; for an historiographer discourseth of affairs orderly as they were done, accounting as well the times as the actions; but a poet thrusteth into the midst even where it most concerneth him, and there recoursing to the things forepast, and divining of things to come, makes a pleasing analysis of it all"Spenser wrote a letter to Walter Raleigh (above excerpted) to explain this strange cacophony of FQ, a mixture of ancient mythology, Renaissance Christian morality and enough obscure symbolism for an academic brigade; a tribute to country and queen. Knights from the court of the Faerie Queen conduct a search and destroy mission against evil in the form of a pack of minor villains pecking away at the heroes of the poem, but each one perpetually foiled. Such as Archimago, the witch Hectate, the philanderer Malbecco receive comeuppances in jousts, internecine squabbles or palace tours, with this type of constant action occupying canto after canto that at some point the content aspect becomes a bit wearisome. Amid this "action" are endless lists of virtues allegorized in each book, the reader being skewered to a Platonic ideal especially evident in females with such as the knight Britomart representing strenght and accomplishment in women, Una, the ultimate fantasy chick, and several others with such heights of description one does expect something mind blowing ahead, perhaps at last the perfect woman, to which in FQ Spenser comes close without cigar. The joust with the evil forces of nature seems unique to Spenser, who seizes the reader by the lapels with an in one's face style of optimism such that worst elements suffer defeat by contrast with more worthy opponents. There is little in FQ of the the weird, off the wall bastardizations of human nature being written almost at the same time by the playwright down the road. This world of Spenser's appears mostly black and white, and totally devoid of the perceptual uncertainty or moral relativity of a Lear or Hamlet, though one senses toward the end with introduction of "mutability" a weakening in the poet: "Then since within this wide, great universe nothing does firm and permanent appear." It is faint criticism of genius to call FQ a shade below the top with its questionable, archaic content simply outweighed subsequently, but for the glaring and obvious truth that this is some of the greatest poetry that has been written by one of the best poets. FQ is saved by its lyrical verse, by the brilliance of its expression; by the talent of this tremendous intellect to place into rhyme over hundreds of pages such enormous complexity of expression. To call this accomplishment "a pleasing analysis" though as well said as the rest of this poem, is understatement. Shakespeare tends to stir with eerie omniscient intellect, and Spenser does the same, but in a tone and manner so sharply in contrast. FQ contains cleverness, insight, a piercing intelligence, but all rendered with such brushstrokes of eloquence as is simply unequaled. As happens too often, Spenser died before he finished, and one speculates had he lived what else might have been "thrustest into the midst".
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Summary: An edition for advanced students and Spenser enthusiasts.
Review: EDMUND SPENSER : THE FAERIE QUEENE. Edited by A. C. Hamilton. 753 pp. Longman Annotated English Poets. London and New York : Longman, 1977 and Reissued. The Longman Annotated English Poets edition of 'The Faerie Queene' has been designed primarily for students and academics, but will appeal to anyone who is looking for an extensively annotated Spenser which gives maximum help with the language, historical allusions, symbolism, allegory, and much else besides. In other words, this is not so much a reader's edition of 'The Faerie Queene' as one for those engaged in an intensive and in-depth study. The pages are quarto sized (10 by 7.5 inches) and printed in double columns, with Spenser's text being given mainly in the left column, and the accompanying explanatory glosses and extensive and detailed notes given to the right. Hamilton's notes are, in every way, superb, and considerably enrich one's understanding of Spenser's subtle and highly allusive poem. The notes, however, are so extensive, that they can tend to interfere with one's enjoyment of the poem, as there is the constant temptation to glance to the right to read Hamilton's invariably interesting remarks. Unfortunately, presumably to reduce costs, Spenser's text was not reset, and what we have been given is a much-reduced and rather poor copy of the Oxford University Press edition of 'The Faerie Queene.' The result is a poorly printed text of the poem in a font as miniscule as that used for the sidenotes, and hence one that can be tiring to read. The text of the poem is preceded by Hamilton's informative General Introduction, and the book is rounded out with an extensive Selected Bibliography. Although less than desirable in visual terms, Hamilton's edition is superb in every other way, and definitely belongs on the bookshelves of all advanced students and Spenser enthusiasts. The general reader, however, would probably be far better off, certainly if new to Spenser, to start with the excellent Penguin English Poets edition, or even with the Norton Critical Edition of selections, details of which follow: THE FAERIE QUEENE. By Edmund Spenser. Edited by Thomas P. Roche, Jr with the assistance of C. Patrick O'Donnell, Jr. 1247 pp. Penguin English Poets, 1978 and Reprinted. EDMUND SPENSER'S POETRY : Authoritative Texts and Criticism. Norton Critical Edition. Third Edition. Selected and Edited by Hugh Maclean and Anne Lake Prescott. 838 pp. London and New York : W. W. Norton & Company, 1993.
Rating:
Summary: near ideal paperback version
Review: Excellent presentation and apparatus for this most beautiful and profound of English epics (and I include near-epics like "Endymion" and "Paradise Regained" in that category as well). No excuse now for not reading this must-read masterpiece, especially as the typeface and layout on the page are most accommodating, both for reading and notemaking.
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Summary: Spenser is simply put it a genius!
Review: First I would have to make the comment, that I think, that this book in question, i.e., The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser, A. C. Hamilton(Editor) is probably one of the hardest works that I have ever attempted to read. English not being my native tongue, in fact my native tongue is Swedish (this, the reading process; made the task even more arduous). Spenser is one of those few authors that pull of this kind of writing style ;without the novel or the writing style having a air of stuffiness or the lines being contrite or just simply poorly written. He is in the elite class of authors, e.g., Dante Alighieri, William Shakespeare et al; and therefore, I can unquestionably state that this, The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser, A. C. Hamilton(Editor), is a book that will be read for all time; since not doing so, i.e., not reading this divine and brilliant novel, then one as a man, must be considered to not be less then civilized.
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Summary: This is THE work of epic fantasy!
Review: For those who are looking for an older take on series fantasy, look no further. The Faerie Queene is often praised for its beautiful use of language and for the fact that it was the first great epic written in the English language, but don't let that high and lofty praise scare you away! Someone who goes into it looking to be entertained won't be dissapointed, provided they're willing to work for it a little bit. At first, the archaic language can be a little difficult to understand, but I found that I very quickly adapted to it so that I was reading it nearly as quickly as I'd read a novel, and I wasn't having to look in the margins for the definitions of strange words. And then the story started to come alive! The Faerie Queene has it all -- knights, maidens in distress, maidens who kick butt (one of the hero knights, Britomart, is a woman and also a very capable warrior) evil wizards, dark temptresses, and monsters galore. Many villains recurr throughout the books, tormenting one knight and then another, so that when Duessa shows up for the upteenth time, you already know enough about her to be emotionally invested in seeing her defeated ;) I was surprised by how much character development the various characters showed, from Redcrosse's slow journey into spirituality to Artegall's gradual temperance of cold justice with mercy. Britomart's unrequited love for Artegall was genuinely moving. But what Spenser does best is description. He very quickly establishes scenes that are so clear and vivid that you'll be able to smell the air and see even the quality of the sunlight. All in all, I highly recommend this book. I was pretty sad when I got to the end, because I'm going to miss my nightly forays into Spenser's arcadian world. This is an extremely good book.
Rating:
Summary: This is THE work of epic fantasy!
Review: For those who are looking for an older take on series fantasy, look no further. The Faerie Queene is often praised for its beautiful use of language and for the fact that it was the first great epic written in the English language, but don't let that high and lofty praise scare you away! Someone who goes into it looking to be entertained won't be dissapointed, provided they're willing to work for it a little bit. At first, the archaic language can be a little difficult to understand, but I found that I very quickly adapted to it so that I was reading it nearly as quickly as I'd read a novel, and I wasn't having to look in the margins for the definitions of strange words. And then the story started to come alive! The Faerie Queene has it all -- knights, maidens in distress, maidens who kick butt (one of the hero knights, Britomart, is a woman and also a very capable warrior) evil wizards, dark temptresses, and monsters galore. Many villains recurr throughout the books, tormenting one knight and then another, so that when Duessa shows up for the upteenth time, you already know enough about her to be emotionally invested in seeing her defeated ;) I was surprised by how much character development the various characters showed, from Redcrosse's slow journey into spirituality to Artegall's gradual temperance of cold justice with mercy. Britomart's unrequited love for Artegall was genuinely moving. But what Spenser does best is description. He very quickly establishes scenes that are so clear and vivid that you'll be able to smell the air and see even the quality of the sunlight. All in all, I highly recommend this book. I was pretty sad when I got to the end, because I'm going to miss my nightly forays into Spenser's arcadian world. This is an extremely good book.
Rating: 
Summary: Get a text with complete modernization of spelling
Review: I am new to literature of this period and would be enjoying the text much more if modern spellings had been used. I find it frustrating not being able to look up unknown words in a dictionary.
Rating:
Summary: Queene Exam
Review: I had to read this for an English class, and I must say, it was sheer Hell. After I began to understand it, however, I came to admire Spencer's lagnuage, imagery, and wit. Hard to read, but great book.
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Summary: Discover How the Damsel Rescues the Knight
Review: I read Edmund Spenser's "Faerie Queene" as an assignment in my English Renaissance Literature class, but the book is one that I will keep in my own collection from here on out. The story was delightful and encouraged the imagination with just enough description to outline the picture, while leaving plenty of room for the audience to fill in the colors. Look for the vast amounts of symbolism throughout the poem. My favorite character of the play was Una. The princess who travels with the destined Saint George and remains faithful to both God and her love despite what harsh elements might come in her way. She was human in the sense that she was frightened, she cried, and she got herself in trouble, but she was an admirable character in her strengths, endurance and patience. Within her character, she encouraged a strong female role in a time when the potential of women had yet to be recognized. With Elizabeth as queen, the patriarchal dominance that was known through most of the world was startled. Edmund Spenser, however, knew the strength in his queen and admired it. Perhaps it his respect for Elizabeth that is carried through in his development of Una. As a whole, the "Faerie Queen" was simple enough for those who are not absorbed in classical literature. It had gory battles, risky sexual encounters, and a tender message of love and forgiveness. Most of all, it emphasized the mercy and grace that is found through the love of our God and the sacrafice of his son Jesus Christ. Another strong message that was conveyed through "Faerie Queene" was that of personal growth and taking the chance to discover what you have inside, not what you have always been. Red Cross has a destiny to fullfill before becoming Saint George, but until he realized that he could overcome temptations and evil and seize the elements of truth than his destiny would be kept further and further away from him. How many times in our own lives have we decided not to try for something that we know we wanted only because we were afraid to the take the chance? How many times have we kept ourselves further away from our own futures? All in all, the "Faerie Queene" was an excellent piece of epic poetry and I hope that others will find it as enjoyable and impacting as I have. Jin of Vanguard University of Southern California
Rating:
Summary: 5 stars, but I wouldn't have read it if it weren't required!
Review: I'm glad I was exposed to this work, but when my Brit. Lit. professor said The Faerie Queene was the most boring piece of literature ever written in the English language, he wasn't lying. Only attempt if you can devote the proper about of time to it and you're in the mood for something cerebral!
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