Lucifera, a Foil or a Parody of Queen Elizabeth? Anonymous College

There is little debate that Spenser admired Queen Elizabeth I. When reading through Book One of The Faerie Queene, Gloriana is fashioned in a manner that allows her to as an allusion to the famed maiden queen. In his letter to Sir Walter Raleigh explaining the intricacies of his writing process and his reasonings behind the work, Spenser states that the Queene of Faery land is a fictional representation of Queen Elizabeth, who he intends to depict as both a most royal ruler as well as a beautiful lady. This interpretation hinges upon reading The Faerie Queene as an epic and as a celebration of Elizabeth, her Protestant reign, and England as a nation. However, Gloriana seems to exist only within the margins and background of the work as she actually never presents herself to the reader. This absence is not meant to diminish the power of Gloriana, however, it does allow for Elizabeth to appear elsewhere in the foreground of the work, and not solely in a flattering light. I argue that Spenser uses Lucifera and the House of Pride as a satirical criticism of court life that mirrors the Tudor court of Elizabeth.

Through this snapshot of court life, Spenser is able to point out the obvious moral failings of the environment at hand....