Reading Notes : Faerie Queen, Part B

At last we are able to see Britomart unite with her beloved knight, Sir Artegall. This part B reading was full of more adventures and fighing as our heroine traverses landscapes and defeats many foes to find her beloved. She has to combat spiritual and magical forces this time, too. What I really enjoyed about this whole unit was how great the storytelling aspect was. The narrative style is easy to follow, although the amount of characters could get confusing at times. A lot of people are referred to simply as maid, maiden, sir, or knight, and after a while it can be hard to straighten them out.

When the author was describing the procession of characters like Fear, Hope, etc. the use of imagery characterizing the appearance of each one was stunning. The setting and time period was mostly set in part A, and I felt like part B was mainly used for more character development. Britomart stayed true to her love in the end. When she finally beheld Artegall, it was a truly moving moment. All her strength and sharp tongue seemed to disappear under the power of true love; it was touching to see and, as somewhat a romanticist, it made me go awww internally. The reader could truly feel her affection for him. This was mainly in part of how well the reader got to know her strength throughout the reading. We know she does not let anyone mess with her and has a sharp mind to accompany her words. But all these fall short when she lays eyes of Sir Artegall.

There are many storytelling tools that one could take away from Stories of the Faerie Queene. But mainly what I loved was diving into the main character. Exploring Britomart and all her adventures through her was truly a great adventure. I feel very fortunate to have met her through this reading and have a lot to take away.

Britomart and Artegall

Stories from the Faerie Queen. Edmund Spenser (1590), adapted by Mary Macleod (1916). Web Source.

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