The Faerie Queene Love Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Book, canto, stanza

Quote #1

Love of your selfe [Redcrosse], [the False Una] said, and deare constraint/ Lets me not sleepe, but waste with wearie night/ In secret anguish… (I.i.53)

The False Una knows exactly what to say in order to sound like she's tortured by love for Redcrosse. Characters articulate very similar sentiments throughout the poem.

Quote #2

That ydle name of love, and lovers life,/ As losse of time, and vertues enemy/ I ever scorned… (I.ix.10)

How naïve young Arthur sounds! He actually seems to believe that he can live a life without love in the world of The Faerie Queene. Think again, Arthur, think again.

Quote #3

These two gay knights [Huddibras and Sansloy], vowd to so diuerse loues,/ Each other does enuie with deadly hate,/ And dayly warre against his foeman moues. (II.ii.19)

Love and harmony rarely actually go together in Faerie Land, as these two knights make very clear. Can love produce hate?