.:我是我的你的:.

Date: 3/4/2012

Name: Esme

Student Number: 98315147

Course: English Literature

Teacher: Robert Albano

The best way to glorify a person is to find some nobler people to praise for her, and it is also the way which is used in the Spenser’s “Aprill”. In this work, Spenser uses so many beautiful goddesses to praise Elisa as a queen. Because Elisa represents the Queen Elizabeth, that is, Spenser uses those sacred goddesses to praise the virtues and noblesse of the Queen Elizabeth.

In the second stanza, Spenser illustrates that Elisa is the daughter of Pan, the Greek nature god and Syrinx, a nymph that Pan chased. Though Pan is infamous for his lascivious, he is still a god of nature. Similarly, Queen Elizabeth’s parents are Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn who are not a typical exemplary royal family as well, but Queen Elizabeth is also a member of the royal family. Spenser uses this comparison to show that Queen Elizabeth is just like Elisa in Aprill, and both of them have a noble lineage which is different from commoners.

In the fourth stanza, Spenser cites Phoebe to compare to Elisa in Aprill. First, Phoebe is called Artemis in ancient Greek mythology, and she also has the name Diana in Roman mythology. Diana represents the hunting goddess; it means that she possesses the incredible power to subdue the animals. Since Elisa surpasses Diana, it means that she also gets the power even more than Diana to control the nature, just like Queen Elizabeth gets the power to control the Great British. Next, Phoebe is the moon goddess which counterpart to Phoebus Apollo, the sun god. Because sun is shining, and moon resembles the sun, Elisa also has the quality to be radiant like the sun in nature; in Great British, Queen Elizabeth does, too. Third, to praise Elisa’s beauty, Spenser personifies Phoebus, the sun god, and Phoebe, the moon goddess that go off in to hiding themselves in back of the clouds, and just dare to look down from the sky on earth because Elisa is glowing too brightly to stare at. These also illustrate the beauty of Queen Elizabeth who is so gorgeous that even gods or goddesses feel embarrassed to see such a beautiful face.

Spenser quotes nine Muses, three Graces and Nymphs who are also goddesses to praise Elisa in eighth, ninth and tenth stanzas in Aprill. First, nine Muses are the goddesses who control the art, and they also carry the branches of the bay or laurel, which are the symbol of honor and victory, to praise Elisa. Because Elisa symbolizes Queen Elizabeth, these represent that Queen Elizabeth manages her kingdom so well and even can bring it honor and victory. Besides, laurel also represents the great poets, and it means Queen Elizabeth is a great poet herself. Second, three Graces are the daughters of Zeus, so they have the qualities of charm and gentleness. Spenser praises that Elisa as the fourth Grace, that is, Queen Elizabeth is like Elisa who is the fourth Grace contains all the good virtues of these goddesses. Third, Spenser uses Nymphs who bring olive branches to praise Eliza. It symbolizes Elisa bring the peace to her land, and so does Queen Elizabeth brings peace to England.

by Esme 2012.4.3