How Were the Red Cross Knight and Una Entrapped by Archimago?
The Faerie Queene is a notable literary work by Edmund Spenser. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of The Faerie Queene.
Answer
How were the Red Cross Knight and Una entrapped by Archimago?
The Red Cross Knight and Lady Una are the two central characters of the Romantic epic poem “The Faerie Queene” by the Puritan epic poet Edmund Spenser (1552-1599). In the poem, we notice that The Red Cross Knight and Lady Una are entrapped by the disguised magician Archimago.
Victim of Hypocrisy and Misguide: Archimago is a magician and a symbol of hypocrisy and evil. He represents the Roman Catholic monk. When the Red Cross Knight and Lady Una meet Archimago in disguise as an old man. His dress is a long black garment. He has a grey beard, and a Bible is hung on his belt.
At length they chaunst to meet upon the way
An aged Sire, in long blacke weedes yclad,
…
And by his belt his booke he hanging had;
He looks like a pious man. Archimago appears there to misguide the Red Cross Knight and Lady Una. On their tiring journey, Archimago offers the Knight and Lady Una to spend a night in his house. Then, Archimago creates a false Una and sends it to the Red Cross knight to seduce him. The Red Cross rebuffs the false Una. In this way, Archimago has misguided them.
Black Magic and Evil Spirits: In Archimage’s house, when they fall asleep, Archimago applies black magic to them. He utters horrible words. The narrator describes,
Then choosing out few wordes most horrible,
(Let none them read) thereof did verses frame,
Then, he summons two evil spirits and sends one of them to the kingdom of Morpheus (God of Sleep) to bring a fake, lustful dream for the Knight. Then Archimago turns the other spirit, who looks just like Una, with his magic spell. Now, the magician sends the lustful dream into the Knight’s head and sends the disguised spirit to his bed.
The Knight starts to dream a lustful dream and wakes up. He wakes up and finds that Una (a disguised spirit) is trying to kiss him. The Red Cross Knight becomes very sad to see the lady so wanton. He forbids Una from doing such a dishonourable act and sends her away. Though Archimago’s first attempt fails, he succeeds in sending the lady and the knight in separate ways.
In short, The Red Cross Knight and Lady Una are entrapped by Archimago, who represents hypocrisy and evil.