The theology of the sign: St. Augustine and Spenser's 'Legend of Holiness.' (Edmund Spenser)

From: Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 | Date: January 1, 1993| Author: Bergvall, Ake | Copyright information

Analysis of the language in Book 1 of Edmund Spenser's 'The Faerie Queen' entitled 'The City of God' show the significant influence of St. Augustine's 'On Christian Doctrine.' Redcrosse is found to signify the pursuit of holiness, the sign of the quest for wholeness. Spenser's allegorical style extends the basic reading of signs as seen in 'The Legend of Holiness' which is immersed in biblical allusions.

Book 1 of The Faerie Queene is preeminently about language, its use and misuse, ...

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