The Faerie Queene Appearances Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Book, canto, stanza

Quote #7

The warlike Mayde beholding earnestly/ The goodly ordinance of this rich place,/ Did greatly wonder, ne could satisfie/ Her greedy eyes with gazing a long space… (III.xi.53)

As Britomart checks out the house of Busirane, she gets a little bit too obsessed with looking at it and seems unable to feel that she can fully take all of it in.

Quote #8

At last the most redoubted Britonesse,/ Her louely Amoret did open shew;/ Whose face discouered, plainely did express/ The heauenly pourtraict of bright Angels hew… Till Blandamour, who thought he had the trew/ And very Florimell, did her display:/ The sight of whom once seene did all the rest dismay. (IV.v.13)

The tournament of Satyrane features a competition between ladies for the title of Most Beautiful. You'll notice the difference between Amoret's beauty being associated with heaven and angels while the False Florimell's beauty is associated with "dismay."

Quote #9

Of things vnseene how canst thou deeme aright,/ Then answered the righteous Artegall,/ Sith thou misdeem'st so much of things in sight? (V.ii.39)

Correcting the socialist leanings of the Giant with Scales, Arthegall appeals to a divine natural order that means we can't always know why things are the way they are.