Una, is upset to find herself alone in a dangerous land, not truly knowing why her knight had left her. Rather that believing in her loyalty and virtue, Redcrosse took the easy way out in the land of great deception and turmoil. He assumed that what his eyes saw was really reality, rather than believing in Una's true virtue. Later in Cantos XI, the tables of deception turn. Once again a case of mistaken identity threatens the virtue of one of the major characters in the epic story. Rather than Una, this time it is Redcrosse's virtue which is questioned. After defeating the dragon and freeing Una's parents, a messenger arrives and informs the kingdom that Redcrosse is in fact engaged to another woman. The king is outraged and demands an explanation for Redcrosse's deception. Just like Una's tribulation in Cantos I, Redcrosse was afflicted by a case of mistaken...
He believed that the maiden he was with was a virtuous and honorable woman, but was in fact the deceptive Duessa who was later exposed for her trickery.Still, his union with a woman also of common birth leaves us to reflect that in all likelihood, Spenser himself would enter the court after an upbringing of modestly. This denotes the distinction of Spenser as a critique of reigning structures of authority in his time and place. This also helps to introduce our discussion to the historical context into which he deposited his first important work of poetry. Language: The
Chastity in Renaissance Literature and Political Power Chastity was a concept that was promoted throughout Renaissance society by the church and those in political power. Chastity was promoted not only as a virtue and measure of the worthiness of a woman at the time of her marriage, it was also utilized as a means to repress women and their ability to gain their own power in society. However, in some ways,
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