Which royal dynasty has been celebrated in Spenser's Faerie Queene?

Correct option is D

Explanation:

Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene (1590, 1596) is a landmark in English literature, often regarded as the most significant epic poem of the English Renaissance.

In this allegorical work, Spenser celebrated the Tudor dynasty, particularly Queen Elizabeth I, who was part of this royal lineage.

The poem is not only a grand, mythological narrative but also a political and moral statement.

Each of the knights in The Faerie Queene is an allegorical figure who represents a particular virtue, and many of these virtues are directly associated with the ideal qualities that Spenser saw in Elizabeth and the Tudor monarchy.

The Queen is depicted as the figure of "Gloriana," the Faerie Queene herself, symbolizing the unity, peace, and prosperity that the Tudor monarchy brought to England after years of turmoil.

Information Booster:

The work was written as a tribute to Elizabeth I, celebrating her reign and virtue.

The poem is divided into six books, each focusing on a different knight who represents a specific virtue.

The entire narrative serves as an allegory of the Tudor monarchy and its role in the stability of England.

Spenser wrote the poem during the height of the Tudor dynasty, with Elizabeth I as the reigning monarch.

The Tudors had successfully consolidated power after the Wars of the Roses, and Elizabeth’s reign marked a period of relative peace and prosperity. Spenser’s work was meant to praise and idealize this period.

The figure of Gloriana is a direct representation of Queen Elizabeth I, embodying purity, justice, and divine rule.

Her character is a central figure in The Faerie Queene, symbolizing the ideal ruler, similar to the way Elizabeth was idealized in Spenser’s time.

The knights in the poem—such as Redcrosse Knight, who represents holiness—embody moral and ethical virtues that Spenser believed should guide the English monarchy, reflecting the Tudor emphasis on moral governance.

The image of the Tudor rose, combining the white rose of the Plantagenets and the red rose of the Lancasters, symbolized the unity and strength of the Tudor dynasty.

Spenser's use of such symbolism in The Faerie Queene echoes the dynasty's importance and the stability it brought to England.

Additional Knowledge:

Plantagenet:

The Plantagenet dynasty was the predecessor to the Tudor dynasty and played a crucial role in English history, particularly during the Middle Ages. However, by the time Spenser wrote The Faerie Queene, the Plantagenets were no longer in power, having been replaced by the Tudors after the Wars of the Roses.

Stuart:

The Stuart dynasty came after the Tudors. Spenser's The Faerie Queene was written during the Tudor period, and while the Stuarts would come to rule England after the death of Elizabeth I, they are not celebrated in Spenser’s work.

Anjou:

The Anjou dynasty was a prominent European royal house, but it did not have a direct role in English monarchy after the reign of Henry II. The Anjou dynasty had been mostly linked to French royalty.