The Spensers The Shepheardes Calender - Essay Example

Spenser’s Poem, The Shepheardes Calendar, with a Special Focus on The “April” Eclogue Introduction ‘The Shepheardes Calender’ is an extended poem by Elizabeth’s poet, Edmund Spenser (circa 1522 – 1599). It is perhaps not as well known as his ‘Faerie Queene,’ but both include praise to the Queen, Elizabeth I. It is written in 1579, and included in the Stationers’ Register of 1591. It was printed only under the name of ‘Immerito’ in the first instance. It must have been popular as there were four more editions printed in the eighteen years before 1597. Its setting may represent the Kentish countryside, which was familiar to Spenser from his work for the bishop of Rochester, although it is possible it is in fact set in Lancashire as a lady from that place is described and where Spenser had been staying (quoted in Modern Language Notes, 1909). Thesis: Although Spenser dedicated the work to his friend and fellow poet Sir Phillip Sidney, this poem was written to support the viewpoint of Lord Robert Dudley, the first Earl of Leicester, and so promotes the ideal of the Queen in virginal beauty. The Protestant position is not explicitly mentioned, but the implication is that all is perfect as it is. Method An appropriate method to use in order to prove this thesis is to look closely at the ‘The Shepheardes Calender,’ especially the fourth section ‘The April Eclogue’ and see how this reflects Leicester’s viewpoint. Consideration will also be given to the pastoral form and how it was used, both in ancient times and during the Renaissance, to put across particular ideas in an acceptable way. Pastoral Poetry Spenser was obviously familiar with the pastoral form, both from classical times and from the Renaissance. This pastoral conversational form allowed Spenser to discuss subjects that might otherwise be considered dangerous. It is not the same as nature poems, which merely describe nature, but was the means by which Spenser able to put into the mouths of simple shepherds ideas that he would not dare to write about in a more direct way without being viewed as forward – what right he had, for instance, to discuss such things as a lady’s corsets or to tell them to pull them tighter for more finesse (Lines 132-35). Drabble in ‘The Oxford Companion to English Literature’ discusses the way in which this old established imagery and style goes back to writers such as Theocritus (3rd century B.C.E) and was based upon an idealization of the ancient Greek Arcadia, an area populated by rural shepherds and herders (753). Longus, ( Gale Encyclopedia of Biography) who wrote the first pastoral romance (3rd century B.C.E.) and Virgil (1st century B.C.E.) ( Citizendia 2009) used a similar style. The latter writer used the form in order to make social comments. These writers were more concerned with attitudes, states of mind, than actions taken. There were others nearer to Spenser’s own time, such as Petrarch in 14th century. In the Renaissance, poets such as Spenser were very interested in Greek and Roman ideas, as were other people of the time such as the Italian poet Jacopo Sannazaro, and his ‘Arcadia’ of 1504 which have had a huge influence upon this pastoral form of poetry (Columbia Encyclopedia 2008). Spenser probably read such works in Latin with which he would have been familiar having been a university student. . The pastoral form was a means of reducing the complexities of life to its simplest constituents. The shepherds and shepherdesses depicted life in an idealized situation with few worries and no serious physical problems and uncorrupted by the luxuries found in rich cities. Allegory was used , both to voice criticism and to offer praise, in thinly veiled from, to those the poet admired, or whom he wished to impress – in the case of ‘The Shepheardes Calender,’ it is Queen Elizabeth. In addition, the pastoral form had another purpose - to act as a means, an outplaying, of moral criticism. In this particular case, April Eclogue, it could be a hint that the Queen was perfect as she was and had no need of a Catholic marriage, at the time at the very least possibility, if not with one suitor then another – and almost certainly with a Catholic as Catholic countries and their rulers were keen to reassert their influence upon English Protestantism. The Shepheardes Calender Spenser published this piece under the name of ‘Immerito,’ i.e. ‘The Worthless one’, a rather self depreciating title (Spenser 1579). This poem is not a story with a beginning, a middle and end, and not are the individual eclogues. Progress is not in a chronological line, but is rather circular, just as nature is, and so December recalls January. It is not an exact description of the rural year as although showers are described in April, the nightingale is mentioned in November and in January, and damsons are picked in April, ready to share among the ladies. But that is not really important. This eclogue is not about giving an exact description of what is going on in the rural calendar, any more than the rest of the poem is, but is putting forward a particular attitude or point of view that of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, English Protestant and frustrated suitor who was also Spenser’s employer ( The Edmund Spenser Home Page 2011) . This work is often considered to be an emulation of the earlier pastorals in Latin by Virgil ‘The Eclogues,” i.e. the drafts or the selections. It is closer, however, to more recent work by Italian Carmelite Mantuanus, described as a second Virgil, whose ten eulogies were used as a school text, perhaps even by Spenser himself (Mustard 35). ‘The Shepheardes Calender,’ including its pastoral writing, was sometimes referred to as bucolic, i.e. to do with the care of cattle. The title uses quite deliberate ancient forms of spelling in order to evoke earlier times. ’ In the poem, a shepherd, is found at various times of year engaged in conversations. The April section mentions the queen at some length it what is often referred to as an encomium, that is a formal way of giving high praise to someone. ‘Then will I sing his laye/ Of fayre Elisa, Queene of shepherdes all’ (Lines 33-34). Spenser presumably hoped that the Queen would hear of such a flattering reference to her and so perhaps offer her patronage while, at the same time, thinking well of his supporter Leicester. Such patronage of the arts and artistes would be normal at the time - the theatres for instance were sponsored by the leaders of society, including royalty. She would be enchanted by the return to an earlier time. This poem consists of a number of sections or eclogues, and each one is written from the point of view of the shepherd Colin Clout in a different month of the year. It also obviously refers to the pastoral nature since the word ‘eclogues’ means goat songs. In these eclogues, as in his other works, Spenser used old-fashioned language, dating back 200 years or so to the 14th century style of writers such as Chaucer, which enabled readers to think back to an idealized past – even if such a state never actually existed. Also, the language used varies from moral didacticism, through satire, and into eulogy. This variety was one of the reasons Spenser was so admired in his own time. He uses a number of different forms and meters in the various sections reveal the range of Spenser’s abilities. This range was much admired in the poet’s own times. His verses, for instance, are varied. Some have 4 lines of equal length and meter, such as at the beginning of the April Eclogue: Shepheardes delight he dooth them all forsweare, Hys pleasant Pipe, which made vs merriment He wylfully hath broke, and doth forbeare His wonted songs, wherein he all forwent. (Lines 13-16) Other lines are more extensive and varied, such as: Soone as my younglings cryen for the dam, To her will I offer a milkwhite Lamb: Shee is my goddesse plaine, And I her shepherds swayne, Albee forswonck and forswatt I am. I see Calliope speede her to the place, where my Goddesse shines: And after her the other Muses trace, with their Violines. Bene they not Bay braunches, which they doe beare, All for Elisa in her hand to weare? So sweetely they play, And sing all the way, That it a heaven is to heare. (April: lines 95-108) The poem is well known for its contemporaneous commentary, what Spenser referred to as a ‘glosse,’ that is an explaining of difficult words. Of the commentator Spenser, who obviously approved of what was written by the commentator, said: “Therin be some things excellently, and many things wittily discoursed of E. K. and the Pictures so singularly set forth, and portrayed, as if Michael Angelo were there” ( Nelson 33). Even though E.K.’s exact identity is unknown, Nelson mentions a certain Edward Kirke, who was in college with Spenser at Cambridge (Nelson 33). The ‘April Eclogue’ Each eclogue is accompanied by a wood cut as a header. That for April shows 12 ladies in court dress, and some of them are holding musical instruments. The one, right in the central position, wears a rustic crown made of leaves and can also be clearly seen to be holding a scepter – a clear depiction of the queen and her ladies. The tree shown is in leaf as it would have been in Spring. The Sun is rising (or setting possibly) in a spectacular way. A piper plays and both sheep and shepherds are in view, as is a barn and a small town. Taurus, the Bull, is in a cloud above the queen, and April is his time of the year in the astrological calendars with which readers would have been familiar. This Eclogue opens with Hobbinell in a bad state. Tell me good Hobbinoll, what garres thee greete? What? hath some Wolfe thy tender Lambes ytorne? Or is thy Bagpype broke, that soundes so sweete? Or art thou of thy loued lasse forlorne. (Lines 1-4) From these lines, Thenot tries to know why Hobbinell is sad. Here is what he says: Tell me Hobbinoll why you are crying? Has a wolf attacked your lambs? Is your sweet sounding bagpipe broken? Or have you lost your love? In lines 5, 6, and 7 of April Eclogue: “Or bene thine eyes attempred to the yeare,/ Quenching the gasping furrowes thirst with rayne?/ Like April shoure, so stremes the trickling teares,” Thenot, the older shepherd, suggests, I believe, that Hobbinoll’s tears are appropriate to the season - April which is known for its showers. The April Eclogue is purposely intended to the honor and praise of the most gracious sovereign, Queene Elizabeth. It says: Of fayre Elisa be your siluer song, that blessed wight: The flowre of Virgins, may shee florish long, In princely plight. (Lines 46-49) Elsewhere she is described as being in royal attire, so the link cannot be mistaken. Johnson (1981) describes the passage as depicting Elizabeth as the harmony between the higher world of mystic beings and the everyday world of the Kentish countryside in spring (75-92). Moreover, the branches which the maidens (the other Muses) carry for Elizabeth; ‘Bene they not Bay braunches, which they doe beare, / All for Elisa in her hand to weare?’ (lines 104-5) are meant to be a praise for the Queen. They are symbols of victory and of high status. In this eclogue, the characters, the symbolism, the figures of speech used are all tools by which the poet gets across his message, his meaning, in a way that is both vivid and at times beautiful. It reflects its own era with its particular frustrations, concerns and enthusiasms as well as hopes for the future. Other poets of the time, Tusser, Sackville, Googe and others were like Spenser, trying to hark back to earlier , medieval times (Johnson, 1990). It was, perhaps, felt safer to make comments in this way rather in a more direct fashion. Despite the fact that the shepherd is being described as ‘the Southerne Shepheardes boye,’ (Line 20), the poem, written soon after Spenser left Cambridge University, was usually considered to have been written when he was staying in Lancashire. Johnson believed that Colin was likely to be a pseudonym for Sir Phillip Sidney who lived in Kent at the time the poem was written. It is also stated that through the writing of this poem, Spenser was able to obtain the patronage of not only Sidney, to whom it is dedicated, but also of the Earl of Leicester, a court favorite (qtd. in Modern Language Notes 1906). At the time of writing, he was Master of the Queen’s Horse. Later, he would be appointed as Steward of the Royal Household. He can also be considered to have been a suitor of Elizabeth. Like Alencon it seems the queen gave him some hope of a future marriage. They remained friends until his death in 1588. The writer goes on to say how, in his opinion, the poem may actually have been written, at least in part, at Penshurst, Sidney’s Kent estate where it is known that Spenser stayed, and a year after the poem was written, Spenser was employed by the Earl of Leicester, and together with Philip Sidney, Edward Dyer, and Fulke Greville a literary group was formed, the "Areopagus," a name given by Spenser. It is taken from the place of meeting of the ancient Athenian council. The aim of the group seems to have been to uphold the cause of Leicester and his faction when it came to matters of politics and religion, according to Bear (undated). Ancient Allusion Throughout the April Eclogue, there are many ancient allusions which point back to the ancient Greek poets from whom Spenser got the inspiration for using this particular pastoral style. The various characters are described at Name and Fame.Org ‘Rare names from Greek and Roman Mythology’. There is a mention of Pan, for instance (Line 91). He was the Greek god of wild places, of shepherds and their flock sand of rustic music – he is associated with pipe playing and a rustic, informal style of music for country folk. Also, Cynthia was another name for Greek goddess Artemis, the goddess of the moon (Line 82). The goddess was considered a great beauty, but is told not to be embarrassed by the beauty she sees. In addition to that, Calliope (Line 100) was the muse of poetry, in particular of Homer; Phoebus is Latin name for Apollo and represents his shining radiance rather than the destructive force implied by the Greek name Apollo. Even such a radiant deity is depicted as being amazed when he sees another sun, i.e. the radiant beautiful Queen, down below: I saw Phoebus thrust out his golden hedde, Vpon her gaze: But when he saw, how broade her beams did spreedde, It did him amaze. He blusht to see another Sunne below : Let him, if he dare, His brightness compare With hers, to haue the ouerthrowe. (Lines 73 – 81) Moreover, in the same eclogue, the ladies are described, as living on Parnasse (Line 41), perhaps the hill in the woodcut, the mythical home of Apollo and the Graces. Chloris is another name from Greek myth. She was strongly associated with flowers and so is April, after the dark flowerless days of winter. Phoebe is also mentioned (Line 65) and the Queen is compared to her bright radiance. In addition to that, lines 136 – 144, from the same eclogue, April, are referred to as a flower passage: Bring hether the Pincke and purple Cullambine, With Gelliflowres: Bring Coronations and Sops in wine, Worne of Paramoures. Strow me the ground with Daffadowndillies, And Cowslips, and Kingcups, and loued Lillies: The pretie Pawnce, And the Cheuisaunce, Shall match with the fayre flowre Delice. (Lines 136-144) Lancashire (2009) points out how later poets used the same device. He names Drayton, Milton and John Fletcher. E.K., in his gloss, links the various flowers to various forms of stud – the Queen was also a great scholar. The pastoral form enables Spenser to use such veiled illusions. Modern Language Notes (1906) suggests the allusion was to Sir Phillip Sidney’s love for Stella, that is Penelope Deveraux for whom Sidney was writing poems at the time. The Glosse for April reveals how Spenser’s predecessors had also mentioned their lady loves – Myrto and Theocritus, Lauretta and Petrarch, Himera and Stesichorus. The April section finishes with two lines in Latin ( lines 157 and 158) which can be translated as ‘O how shall I call you a virgin? Certainly a Goddess’ Is Spenser hinting that perhaps the queen wasn’t all she appeared to be? Perhaps she had had a lover? Yet, despite all she is still a perfect goddess figure. Or is he simply saying that she was so much more than just a virgin? Conclusion Spenser can be seen as representing an allegorical perfect ‘Merrie England’ that probably never existed, but had also begun to ‘look to the state not only as a rewarder of virtue but as maker of right and wrong’ (Hadfield, 2001). It seems also that, although not explicatively stated, this was to be a Protestant and very English paradise, if Leicester’s view prevailed, as it did in fact do. It can be seen from the examples above that Spenser was perhaps less innovative than has been sometimes claimed, but was, in fact, continuing a tradition of this kind of poetry that had extended back over hundreds of years into the times of the ancient Greeks. Also the ideas within the poem, and in particular within the April Eclogue, were strongly influenced by others, Robert Dudley in particular, who was, after all, paying Spenser’s wages ( Edmund Spenser Home Page) Using the device of Colin Clout and his conversations with his several companions, Spenser is able to cover a vast range of material and topics, including his eulogy to the queen. We would see the work today as ‘over the top,’ but the ‘Faerie Queene‘ was still to come. The pastoral style is no longer used in any easily recognizable form. People can express themselves by other means, poetical and other means, whether they are making social, religious or political comment, and so pastorals are. Perhaps, this style is not really required now, 21st century, since, I believe, 21st century society does not have the same immense and deep respect for the sovereign as portrayed by Spenser. Leicester had known Elizabeth since they were children, so he would know her faults only too well. However, he doesn’t mention them here since praise is the key. That does not make Spenser’s work less valuable or evocative. Not useless, but evocative, and in Leicester’s case an important tool in his arsenal, a perfect way to flatter the Queen in subtle and acceptable way. Finally, it is difficult at this distance to understand all the nuances and references in this long poem. The educated people of Elizabethan England would perhaps have been more able to understand them than we do now at a distance in time and culture of several hundred years. Works Cited Bear, R. Introduction to Edmund Spenser's The Shepheardes Calender: Edmund Spenser [Internet]. 2011 Feb 21st. http://extra.shu.ac.uk/emls/iemls/resour/mirrors/rbear/shintro.html Drabble, Margaret (Ed.). The Oxford Companion to English Literature, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1996. Hadfield, A. Introduction: the Relevance of Edmund Spenser, undated, The Cambridge Companion to Spenser, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2001 Johnson, Lynn. Elizabeth, bride and queen,; a study of Spenser’s April Eclogue and the Metaphors of European Protestantism, Spenser Studies, Cullen, P, Roche, T., editors, Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh. 1981. pages 75-92 Johnson, Lynn. The Shepheardes Calender: An Introduction, Philadelphia, PA: Pennsylvania State University, 1990 Lancashire, Ian. Selected Poetry of Edmund Spenser (1552-1599): Representative Poetry Online [Internet]. 2009. 2011 Feb 18th. http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poet/308.html Longus, Gale Encyclopedia of Biography, 2011, 28th February 2011 http://www.answers.com/topic/longus Mustard, W., The Eclogues of Baptista Mantuanus, Baltimore, The John Hopkins Press, 1911 [Internet]. 2011 Feb 21st. http://www.archive.org/stream/ecloguesofbaptisbapt00rich#page/n7/mode/2up Nelson, W. The poetry of Edmund Spenser: A study. New York, Columbia University Press. 1963 Notes on the Shepherd’s Calender and other matters concerning the life of Edmund Spenser, Modern Language Notes, Volume xxi, no. 8 1906. 2011 Feb 18th. http://www.jstor.org/pss/2917182 Rare names from Greek and Roman Mythology. Namesandfame.org, ( undated) 28th February 2011 http://www.nameandfame.org/greek.html Sannazaro, Jacopo, Columbia Encyclopedia 2008 [Internet]. 2011 Feb 24th. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Sannazar.html Spenser, Edmund, 1552?-1599. Shepheardes Calendar, Aprill [Internet]. Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library. 2011 Feb 22nd. http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=SpeShep.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=10&division=div1 Spenser, Edmund, 1552?-1599. Shepheardes Calendar, Glosse [Internet]. Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library. 2011 Feb 21st. http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=SpeShep.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=11&division=div1 Spenser, Edmund. The Shorter Poems, ed. Richard McCabe, Penguin Classics, 1999 The Edmund Spenser Home Page, 2011, 28th February 2011, http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/spenser/biography.htm Virgil, Citizendia , 2009, 28th February 2011, http://www.westga.edu/~lpropst/aeneid%20background%20slideshow.ppt Read More