The Faerie Queene Book Two, by Edmund Spenser, is a book devoted entirely to the concept of temperance and moderation. Considered a cardinal virtue in Plato's Republic and similarly discussed in several other influential works across many cultures, temperance encompasses a myriad of traits or characteristics. Perhaps it is better to refrain from excess; resist temptations and impulses that might otherwise completely overcome our control. That temperance is the main concern of the second book is made clear by Spenser in the title of the work, entitled The Legend of Sir Guyon OR Of Temperaunce. However, rather than simply being the story of a temperate knight, the nature of temperance itself is actually the subject of the second book; more precisely, whether or not it is possible to be continually tempered. The second book highlights the flaws in the concept of temperance, and this has wider ramifications when considering the social context, particularly regarding the Reformation and the perceived pitfalls of Catholicism versus Protestantism (temperance arguably being considered unimportant in Protestantism, as Protestants believe in predestination). This essay will therefore show how the second book of The Faerie Queene can be seen as a religious commentary as well as an examination of the idea of ​​temperance. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay An important point to note, before examining a particular stanza in detail, is that a word that continually recurs throughout Canto XII is “dissolute.” , and this word perfectly sums up the dichotomy of the Bower of Bliss and the nature of sin. It is a word that can mean many things, and indeed its meaning throughout this Song changes depending on the context in which it is used. First of all, it is used in the line "nature was intended to ensue" (2.12.59.3), which describes it as a negative thing, or at the very least as something excessive. However, when referring to the images of the boys on the fountain, the word – used in the phrase “their free toys” (2.12.60.8) – implies playfulness. In stanza 61, to describe the flowers of the fountain, the word is again used in a negative way: "Their woolly flowers... seemed to make fools weep" (2.12.61.9). Finally, in stanza 63, the word is used in perhaps its most complex context yet: the maidens in the fountain are said to "struggle for no reason" (2.12.63.8). This could simply mean that their struggle was carefree; however, the recurrence of the word (which appears thirteen times in this Song) as well as Guyon's response to their struggle, interweave ideas of excess, playfulness and sexual hedonism. The rather disparate meanings of the word "dissolute" imbue this Canto with an ambivalence about what, exactly, qualifies as sin, and emphasize that evil does not always look evil - something Guyon does not seem to notice, it seems, until the end of the book and his meeting with Acrasia. Although this is a recurring theme throughout the book, it is arguably most evident during Canto Twelve, in which Guyon finally reaches the Bower. In stanza 58 of Canto XII, the Bower is described for the first time: it is described as "Paradise" (2.12.58.1), even to the "sober eye" (2.12.58.2) of Guyon. In fact, he's not even described in particularly lascivious or evil terms; rather it seems to be a place of beauty, in which nature seems to be the defining characteristic. Spenser mentions “painted flowers”(2.12.58.5), “the hills for breathing” (2.12.58.6) and “the passing Christall” (2.12.58.7) – images that are unequivocally positive. Furthermore, the pleasures evoked in this stanza seem universal, because “no other enjoys happiness” (2.12.58.4). The Bower truly seems to be a paradise, and the last line of the stanza responds directly to this by saying: "Art, which all this wrought, appeared nowhere" (2.12.58.9). The dichotomy between what the Bower appears to be and what he is in Guyon's view is laid out for the reader here - he seems to expect brazen, wanton sin, and the obvious presence of magic or a supernatural source, but instead it is presented with a glorious depiction of nature. The comparison of the Bower (known to be a sinful place) with the majesty of nature, reproduced in all its splendor, makes a statement about the connection between nature and sin, and arguably implies that what is considered sinful is also natural (created or predestined directly by God), an important Protestant argument – ​​and a powerful argument against temperance as a permanent feature. Stanza 59 continues by addressing this dichotomy, speaking of the skill with which the Bower seems to imitate nature, and how "art" and nature seem harmoniously intertwined, as in the lines "So striving to undermine the other/Each one made the others work more beautifully” (2.12.59.5-6). It is as if the Bower itself somehow exceeds nature – the phrase “which nature intended to follow” (2.12.59.3) shows this. It is interesting to note that this is the first moment where negative vocabulary insinuates itself into articulation; in particular, the aforementioned lines and the line "Art, and this art in nature repelled [irritation]" (2.12.59.4). This idea of ​​a discordant comparison between nature and Bower's magical representation of nature is not supported, however, and indeed the stanza is preceded by the words "One would have thought..." (2.12.59.1), so Bower does not is not being directly described in negative terms. Yet the reason for the inclusion of such ideas remains ambiguous; it could be simply to provide a sense of juxtaposition, or it could be to argue with the reader, essentially telling them that true beauty and that which derives from evil sources are indistinguishable. This arguably shows that the pleasures offered in the Bower, while encouraging sin, are not in themselves sinful, as they are described as so aesthetic and even the narrator seems unaware of the way in which the Bower can be seen as bad. The pleasing imagery is renewed throughout the rest of this stanza, with Bower's ultimate impression being one of "sweet diversity" (2.12.59.8). This phrase itself, however, can be interpreted in several different ways, two of which raise important allegorical points. First, this temperance itself is "ungentle" in comparison, because it is a mode of being that denounces diversity and simply encourages metaphorically keeping one's hand, rather than action, whether good or bad. Second, and perhaps more crucially, this phrase implies that there is a certain symbiosis between nature and sin. This ties in with the Protestant idea that sin is ingrained in humans and that they are predestined to do so. Taken in this way, this stanza alludes to Guyon's coming loss of control, no doubt a result of what happens in the following stanzas. The next stanza introduces perhaps the most important physical object in this song: the fountain. This object is significant both for its future role in Guyon's strongest temptation to date, but also because itrelates to a story told by Palmer in Canto II – of a nymph fleeing the unwanted advances of Faunus by becoming a fountain whose water could never be tainted. Indeed, in this Canto, the Palmer says that “secret virtues are infused in every fountain” (2.2.5.6-7), and the fountain of Canto XII seems to reinforce this fact. It is described as breathtakingly beautiful, composed of "the richest substance that could exist on earth" (2.12.60.2), as well as "pure" (2.12.60.3) – an interesting word choice matters given the environment. While the majority of words used to date to describe the Bower, with the possible exception of "Paradise", have been words related to aesthetics, the word "pure" has different connotations, including sacred ones. There is an inherent connection here between Cantos II and XII, in that divinity and lust are inexorably linked through the fountain – a connection that drives home a larger allegorical point. Palmer's story in Canto II shows that lust is inevitable unless one becomes something else entirely, which is exactly what happens to Guyon at the end of this Canto. This once again recognizes the Protestant idea that sin itself is inescapable. A related and salient point is that the fountains are, as Palmer says, linked to secret magic - an interesting oversight then, when in stanza 58 there is the statement about "Art... appearing in no place” (2.12.58.9). While this may be a reference to the fact that Acrasia is specifically nowhere in sight, another interpretation is that Guyon himself does not consider the fountain magical. This is the first step toward one's ultimate downfall, and it once again underlines an important point: even when one is specifically warned about sin, one cannot be expected to recognize it every time it appears, which goes some way to refuting the idea of ​​temperance as a permanent sin. line. How, this section implies, can one be sober even when one is unable to recognize sin when one sees it. In stanza 62, the positive imagery continues, with the "infinite streams" (2.12.62.1) of Jasper's paved fountain. being described as “gentle and beautiful to behold” (2.12.62.2). Despite these statements, the fountain is perhaps the most powerful representation of gratuitous excess (and even magic) in the garden. While the streams of all the fountains seem endless, Spenser describes the pool into which they fall as increasingly full, saying that the water "grew rapidly... / It seemed to be like a lake" (2.12. 62.4-5). This is a clear sign that the fountain is magical - if the streams were infinite and the amount of water in the pool increased as it was observed and the depth never exceeded three cubits, then clearly the fountain is magical because such a thing is impossible. . Additionally, in stanza 63, it is clearly stated that this fountain is surrounded by laurel trees, which "defend" it (2.12.63.2) from sunlight – a powerful word choice, as sunlight is intrinsically linked to the idea of ​​the power of heaven. This choice of words is followed by the personification of sunlight itself; he “[beats] on the waves” (2.12.63.3), implying the idea of ​​a battle between light and darkness. Very similar, in fact, to that which is about to occur to Guyon himself (or, doubtless, between Guyon's inner self and the Palmer), when he sees the women wrestling in the fountain. The description of these women, between stanzas 64 and 67, has a rather different hue from what has happened so far. Spenser's choice of words in these stanzas is much more ambiguous. Women aren't just naked.