IGNOU MEG-01 Block 1 Summary (Unit 8–11) | Undertaking A Study of Spenser

IGNOU MEG-01 Block 2 Summary (Unit 8–11) | Undertaking a Study of Spenser

If you are studying IGNOU MEG-01 (British Poetry), this article provides a complete, exam-oriented summary of Block 2 – Undertaking a Study of Spenser, covering Unit 8 to Unit 11 in clear and structured form.

This block introduces students to the English Renaissance and the poetry of Edmund Spenser, one of the most important poets in English literary history. The summaries below are designed to help IGNOU MA English students understand concepts easily and revise effectively for Term-End Examinations (TEE).

IGNOU MEG-01 Block 1 Summary (Unit 8–11) | Undertaking A Study of Spenser

📘 About IGNOU MEG-01 Block 2

Block 2 focuses on:

The cultural and literary background of the Renaissance
The life and works of Edmund Spenser
A detailed study of The Faerie Queene
Spenser’s allegory, morality, politics, and poetic style

This block builds a bridge between historical context and poetic analysis, a key requirement for scoring well in IGNOU exams.

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📌 Unit 8: The Renaissance

Unit 8 situates Edmund Spenser within the broader framework of the English Renaissance, a cultural and intellectual movement spanning the late 15th to early 17th century. The Renaissance marked a revival of classical learning, a renewed interest in Greek and Roman literature, and a shift toward humanism, individualism, and artistic creativity.

In England, the Renaissance coincided with:

The rise of vernacular English as a literary language
The consolidation of national identity under the Tudor monarchy
The flourishing of poetry, drama, and prose

The unit highlights the influence of Italian Renaissance writers such as Petrarch, Ariosto, and Tasso, whose ideas shaped English poetry. It also discusses the importance of Elizabethan court culture, patronage, and political power in literary production.

Students are introduced to a key tension of the age: the coexistence of medieval traditions and Renaissance innovation. This tension becomes central to Spenser’s poetry, which blends chivalric romance with Renaissance ideals. Unit 8 prepares readers to understand Spenser as both a product of the Renaissance and a creative force who shaped it.

📌 Unit 9: Edmund Spenser

Unit 9 provides a biographical and literary overview of Edmund Spenser (1552–1599), often called the “poet’s poet” because of his lasting influence on English literature.

Key biographical points include:

Education at Merchant Taylors’ School and Pembroke College, Cambridge
Long residence in Ireland, where he served in administrative roles
Experiences in Ireland that influenced his views on politics, order, morality, and colonisation

Major works discussed in this unit:

The Shepheardes Calender (1579) – a pastoral allegory that established his reputation
The Faerie Queene (1590, 1596) – his unfinished epic and greatest achievement
Amoretti and Epithalamion – poems expressing personal love and marital devotion

The unit explains Spenser’s linguistic experimentation, including his deliberate use of archaism and his invention of the Spenserian stanza (a nine-line stanza unique in English poetry). It emphasizes Spenser’s ambition to combine classical, continental, and English traditions, creating a distinctly national poetic voice.

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📌 Unit 10: Spenser’s Poetry – I

Unit 10 begins an in-depth study of The Faerie Queene, focusing on its form, purpose, and moral vision. Spenser conceived the poem as a didactic allegorical epic, meant to “fashion a gentleman or noble person in virtuous discipline.”

Key aspects discussed:

The plan of the poem as a twelve-book epic (only six completed)
Each book representing a moral virtue

The unit concentrates mainly on Book I, which tells the story of the Redcrosse Knight, symbolizing Holiness. His journey represents the Christian struggle against error, temptation, and falsehood, culminating in spiritual redemption.

The unit also explains:

Spenser’s use of allegory, symbolism, and Christian morality
The fusion of Arthurian romance, biblical imagery, and classical mythology
The political dimension of the poem, including its praise of Queen Elizabeth I and Protestant ideology

Special attention is given to the Spenserian stanza (eight iambic pentameter lines followed by an alexandrine), which gives the poem its musical flow and reflective pace. Unit 10 helps students appreciate both the artistic complexity and intellectual ambition of The Faerie Queene.

📌 Unit 11: Spenser’s Poetry – II

Unit 11 continues the analysis of The Faerie Queene by examining other books and broader themes. Major areas of focus include:

Book III (Chastity) – featuring Britomart, a female knight who embodies virtue, strength, and moral purity
Book V (Justice) – featuring Artegall, the knight of Justice

The unit highlights the political and gender dimensions of Spenser’s poetry. Britomart is not only a symbol of chastity but also an allegorical representation of Queen Elizabeth I, blending myth with political praise. Artegall’s quest, shaped by Spenser’s experiences in Ireland, raises complex questions about law, authority, and colonial governance.

This unit also examines Spenser’s:

Use of allegory, personification, and classical references
Elaborate imagery and descriptive richness
Engagement with contemporary debates on religion, power, virtue, and society

The unit concludes by discussing Spenser’s lasting influence on later poets such as Milton, Wordsworth, Keats, and Yeats, who admired his imagination, moral seriousness, and poetic craftsmanship. Despite being rooted in the Elizabethan age, Spenser’s poetry continues to resonate because of its ethical depth and symbolic richness.

🎯 Why This Summary Is Useful for IGNOU Students