Kathye on FQ 1.4

The Faerie Queene 1.4 (Kathye Macias-Ramirez)

But this was drawn of six unequall beasts,

On which her six sage Counsellours did ryde,

Taught to obay their bestiall beheasts,

With like conditions to their kinds applyde:

Of which the first, that all the rest did guyde,

Was sluggish Idlenessse the nourse of sin;

Upon a slothful Asse he chose to ryde,

Arrayd in habit blacke, and amis thin,

Like to an holy Monck, the service to begin.

(Spenser, 1.4.154-162)

In canto 4 , Redcross and Fidessa/Duessa stop at the House of Pride where Lucifera appears in the company of her six counselors. All six counselors are riding on what Blythe describes as “ emblems of their respective vices” (342): Pride, Sloth, Gluttony, Lechery, Avarice, Envy, and Wrath. Each an allegorical images of the seven deadly sins. A source for this passage has been said to be John Gower’s Speculum meditantis, or Mirour de l’omme. Gower was an English poet “whose reputation once matched that of his contemporary and friend Geoffrey Chaucer” (John). Though his popularity grew thin after the 16th century, he did inspire writers of his time. In relation to Gower’s influence, the idea of the Seven Deadly Sins was not foreign but instead necessary of  a Christian education. In addition, Spenser’s use of Sins is modern for his time and appropriate in this context.

Blythe’s argues that while at the House of Pride, the house is representative of Redcross’ pride and becomes a “psychic construct of the state of his soul”. Medieval-Renaissance observes a relationship between pride and despair. Pride is the origin and beginning of all sin, and despair is “its end product”. Redcross’ pride is motivated by chivalric behavior and worldly honor that has set him astray from his quest.

He creates distance from the Sins due to his vanity,  “not from any awareness of guilt or disgust”. These Sins are “uneven beast” that are presented in three pairs: Idleness and Gluttony, Lechery and Avarice, and Envy and Wrath. Idleness indulges in food, and women which leads him to consume more than required--hence Gluttony. Idleness rides on a donkey and is cloth like a monk while Gluttony, who is deformed, sweats and wears vines for clothes while riding on a pig Lechery and Avarice are paired due to their aim to possess “material wealth or gain”. Lechery wears a green gown and holds a burning heart riding on a goat that resembles his looks. Despite his less than good looks he is still able to seduce. Avarice is thin and dresses in poor clothing, but carries gold while on a camel. Finally Envy and Wrath, envy is a form of malice that is not obvious but can become obvious through Wrath. Envy is projects joy when others suffer loss and rides on a wolf with a poisonous toad in his mouth. Wrath who suffers with rage wears bloodstained rages and rides a lion.

 https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Gower#ref908060

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2872188?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

http://artichokespleen.com/2014/08/house-of-pride/