Question: How were the Red Cross Knight and Una entrapped by Archimago?
Introduction
The Red Cross Knight and Lady Una are the two central characters of the Romantic epic poem “The Faerie Queene” written 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 disguise magician Archimago. The scene of the capture near Archimago is given below with the reference to “The Faerie Queen”.
Click here for more notes of Poetry
Victim of hypocrisy
Archimago is the magician and he is the symbol of hypocrisy. When the Red Cross Knight and the Lady Una meet Archimago in the disguise as an old man. His dress is a long garment black in color. He has a grey beard and a Bible is hanged affixed to his belt he looks like a pious man. Actually, Archimago is appeared there to misguide the Red Cross Knight and the Lady Una. He has skillfully separated the Red Cross Knight and Lady Una. In such a way, they are the victim of Archimago’s hypocrisy.
Misguide
Lady Una and the Red Cross Knight try to find out the way to reach their destination but in the meantime, they meet an old person named Archimago. They ask about the way through the woods. By hearing this, Archimago offered them to spend a night in Archimago’s house. In this way, Archimago has misguided them.
Application of magic on them
In Archimage’s house, when they fall asleep, Archimago applies black magic upon them. Then he welcomes two evil spirits and sends one of them to the kingdom of Morpheus (God of Sleep) to bring a fake dream and he keeps the other spirit with him for doing other work. As we know that The Red Cross Knight is honest, and the symbol of Jesus Christ. So Archimago’s attempt ends in smoke.
Click here for more notes of Poetry
Conclusion
Now, we can conclude that the Red Cross Knight and the lady Una are entrapped by Archimago but his evil purposes fail. Thus, Edmund Spenser has represented the war between the truth and Hypocrisy.
