Edmund Spenser is considered a
child of classical Renaissance and his work in general and Epithalamion in
particular reveal the prominent features of Renaissance. Renaissance stands for
humanism, revival of interest in Greek and Roman mythology, extreme
sensitiveness to the formal beauty and cultivation of aesthetic sense.
Epithalamion
“as the most gorgeous jewel in the treasure house of the Renaissance
If we analyze Epithalamion, we
find not only humanism but also a great wealth of Greek and Roman mythology
woven in the texture of the poem. The invocation to the muses to help him in
the composition of his wedding song is indeed strictly in the classical
tradition. He refers to several incidents which have parallel situations in the
present. He wished to enthrall his bride with his melodious wedding song as did
“Orpheus for his own bride.” His reference to Jove to make his bridal bed
look splendid and his appeals to Gods
and Goddesses not to allow any disturbances in their nocturnal enjoyment indeed
make Epithalamion a classical mosaic well-fitted in the framework of his ode.
As one critic has rightly said, “To scan through the pages of Epithalamion is
to pass through a classical meadow with multi-coloured blooms of Greek and
Roman myths.” The poet showed his keen interest in the inward aspect of human
personality. Actually this new passion for life and interest in human
personality make his poem an exquisite piece of lyrical poetry.
The
other important feature of Renaissance humanism
Besides classicism, the other
important feature of the Renaissance humanism is the extreme sensitiveness to
the formal beauty and the cultivation of aesthetic sense. The Renaissance
scholars of Elizabethan age made use of all the arts, architecture, sculpture,
painting, music, dancing, drama and costume so as to produce the effects of
fantasy, allegory or scenic magnificence. In the poem Epithalamion, there is
something of pageant or mosque and a series of tableaux interwoven with mythology,
literature and natural descriptions and homely details. All these help him to
express and reinforce the poet’s personal joy vividly and effectively.
A
moral high seriousness close to the Reformation and English Bible
The other remarkable feature of
this poem is not only Renaissance humanism and classical antiquity but a moral
high seriousness close to the reformation and English Bible. As a matter of
fact, Spenser was a
moralist poet who declared poesy
as a medium of moral edification. He harmonized conflicting elements and
attached them to his poetic vehicle. Michael Drayton has dubbed him rightly as
“Grave moral Spenser”.
Master
of unique style and enrichment of the English poetry by his thought, style and
word pictures
By common consent, Epithalamion
is Spenser’s highest poetic achievement. Here, we find him a child of
Renaissance in the real sense of the term, as he displays wide range of his
learning, wealth of fancy, love of music and intensity of passions. As a matter
of fact, he proved himself master of unique style and enriched the English
poetry by his thoughts, style and word pictures. The poem Epithalamion gave him
a good opportunity to provide us with gallery of word pictures, word paintings
and he can be called a unique master of his pictorial art. In this poem, we
find Spenser at his best as a master of rhythmical and musical verse.
He enriches his wedding song with
a wealth of imagery and galaxy of classical deities. Here, we find solemnity is
combined with levity and serene Christian morality. We can say that Spenser is
at his best as an artist in the poem and he occupied an exalted position as the
prince of poets in his time.
A
repository of all the various characteristics of Elizabethan Renaissance
Thus, in the final analysis, we
can conclude that Epithalamion is a repository of all the various
characteristics of Elizabethan Renaissance and this statement that Spenser is
at once the child of the Renaissance and the reformation stands fully endorsed
and justified.
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