The Faerie Queene MCQs

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Author: Nasir Iqbal | Assistant Professor of English Literature

The Faerie Queene MCQs
Updated on: October 29, 2025
Estimated Reading Time: 17 min

The Faerie Queene MCQs

1. What does the narrator state will “moralize” his song?

A. Gentle deeds
B. Fierce warres and faithfull loues
C. Shepherd’s weeds
D. Gloriana’s grace

B. Fierce warres and faithfull loues
In the Proem to Book I, the narrator states, “Fierce warres and faithfull loues shall moralize my song.”

2. What is the narrator changing from “Oaten reeds” to “trumpets sterne” to sing of knights and ladies?

A. His old songs
B. His peaceful trade
C. His former Muse
D. His subject matter

D. His subject matter
The “Oaten reeds” symbolize pastoral poetry (like his “Shepheardes Calender”), while “trumpets sterne” represent the epic poetry of “The Faerie Queene.”

3. Whose “faire beames” does the narrator ask for help from to shed light on his “feeble eyne”?

A. His mother
B. Phoebus
C. Holy Virgin chiefe of nine
D. Greatest Gloriana

C. Holy Virgin chiefe of nine
This is an invocation to the Muse of epic poetry, Clio, one of the “nine” Muses.

4. What image is prominently featured on the shield of the Redcrosse Knight?

A. A golden eagle
B. A roaring lion
C. A silver crown
D. A bloody Crosse

D. A bloody Crosse
This marks him as the Knight of Holiness and alludes to St. George, the patron saint of England.
5. Who bestowed the great adventure upon the Redcrosse Knight?

A. Phoebe
B. Charissa
C. Gloriana
D. Duessa

C. Gloriana
Gloriana, the Faerie Queene, assigned him the quest at Una’s behest.

6. The Redcrosse Knight and his Lady were constrained to seek shelter due to:

A. Foul Error
B. A hideous storme of raine
C. A false hermit
D. A Sarazin attack

B. A hideous storme of raine
A sudden storm forced them to take cover in the “wandring wood,” which led them to Error’s den.

7. Where does the Redcrosse Knight first encounter his monstrous foe, Error?

A. The Faerie Lond
B. The wandring wood
C. The house of Pride
D. Morpheus house

B. The wandring wood
They get lost in this wood after seeking shelter from the rain, and Una warns him not to proceed, but he enters Error’s den.

8. What did the monster Error vomit forth?

A. Frogs, toads, and ink
B. Blood and paper
C. Bookes and papers
D. Serpents and worms

C. Bookes and papers
This represents anti-Protestant propaganda and heretical texts that, in Spenser’s view, obscure the truth.

9. Who is the “man, whose Muse whilome did maske, / As time her taught, in lowly Shepheards weeds”?

A. The Redcrosse Knight
B. The author of the poem
C. Archimago
D. Prince Arthur

B. The author of the poem
This is Spenser referring to himself and his earlier pastoral work, “The Shepheardes Calender.”
10. What caused the ramping Lion to cease his attack and follow Una?

A. Una used a spell
B. The Dwarf tamed him
C. His bloudie rage asswaged with remorse
D. Una’s great courage

C. His bloudie rage asswaged with remorse
The lion, representing natural law or nobility, instinctively recognized Una’s innate purity and truth.

11. What is Archimago’s main function early in the poem (Cantos I-II)?

A. To offer counsel
B. To inspire faithful love
C. To create illusions/deceit
D. To guide the knight

C. To create illusions/deceit
Archimago (whose name means “arch-image”) is a sorcerer who creates false images to deceive Redcrosse and separate him from Una.

12. After the Redcrosse Knight abandons Una, Archimago disguises himself as whom to follow Una?

A. Sans Loy
B. A young Squire
C. That good knight
D. A Pilgrim

C. That good knight
Archimago disguises himself as the Redcrosse Knight, wearing his armor.

13. The letters on the shield of the first Sarazin Redcrosse kills, Sans foy, mean:

A. Without wealth
B. Without joy
C. Without truth
D. Without faith

D. Without faith
“Sans foy” is French for “Faithless.” He is the first of three Sarazin brothers: Sansfoy, Sansjoy (Joyless), and Sansloy (Lawless).

14. What sad fate befell the knight Fradubio?

A. He was banished by Duessa
B. He was turned into a tree
C. He was slain by Sans Foy
D. He became a ghost

B. He was turned into a tree
Duessa (Fidessa) turned him and his lady Fraelissa into trees after he discovered her true, foul form.
15. Who rescued Sans Joy from Redcrosse after the duel in the House of Pride?

A. Duessa
B. Gloriana
C. Infernal powres
D. Night

D. Night
Duessa petitions her grandmother, Night, to carry the wounded Sans Joy to the underworld for healing.

16. Night reveals Duessa is the daughter of:

A. Pride and Tyranny
B. Deceipt and Shame
C. Error and Sin
D. Greed and Lust

B. Deceit and Shame
This lineage highlights Duessa’s (Duplicity’s) true nature as an embodiment of falsehood.

17. What caused the giant Orgoglio to become instantly blind and weak when facing Prince Arthur?

A. Talus’s flail
B. Arthur’s spear
C. RCK’s shield
D. Arthur’s shield

D. Arthur’s shield
When Arthur unveiled his diamond shield, the light was so bright (representing divine truth/grace) that it blinded the giant Orgoglio (Pride).

18. What happens to Orgoglio’s huge great body after he is struck?

A. It turns to stone
B. It vanishes like an emptie bladder
C. It explodes violently
D. The Dwarf devours it

B. It vanishes like an emptie bladder
This signifies that Pride (Orgoglio) is just “puffed up” air and has no real substance when confronted by truth.

19. Name the three daughters of Coelia (Holiness) who instruct the Redcrosse Knight.

A. Truth, Grace, Patience
B. Temperance, Faith, Hope
C. Fidelia, Speranza, Charissa
D. Modesty, Obedience, Love

C. Fidelia, Speranza, Charissa
These are the Latin names for the three theological virtues: Faith (Fidelia), Hope (Speranza), and Charity/Love (Charissa).
20. Whom does the Redcrosse Knight eventually fight to free Una’s parents?

A. Sans Loy
B. The huge great Dragon
C. Orgoglio
D. Archimago

B. The huge great Dragon
This is the final quest of Book I: defeating the dragon that represents Satan or Sin, which holds Adam and Eve (Una’s parents) captive.

21. The Legend of Sir Guyon is primarily focused on which virtue?

A. Justice
B. Temperance
C. Chastity
D. Courtesy

B. Temperance
Book II is “The Legend of Sir Guyon, or Of Temperaunce.”

22. Who guides Sir Guyon on his quest, advising him to exercise reason?

A. An aged Squire
B. A Palmer
C. Gloriana’s messenger
D. The Dwarf

B. A Palmer
The Palmer is an allegorical figure representing Reason, which must guide Temperance (Guyon).

23. What specific name is given to the babe found beside the slain knight whose hands are covered in blood?

A. Amidas
B. Guyon
C. Ruddymane
D. Cymochles

C. Ruddymane
His name means “red hands,” symbolizing the blood-guilt he has inherited.

24. When Guyon tries to wash the babe’s bloody hands in the well, what happens?

A. The blood vanishes immediately
B. The hands remain bloody
C. The water turns muddy
D. The water turns pure snow

B. The hands remain bloody
The fountain is magical, and the blood (guilt) cannot be washed away, symbolizing original sin or an indelible stain.
25. Furor, the cruel wight Guyon battles, is the son of whom?

A. Braggadocchio
B. Occasion
C. Cymochles
D. Acrasia

B. Occasion
Furor (Rage) is the son of Occasion (Opportunity/Provocation); Guyon must first subdue her to defeat him.

26. What beautiful woman does Mammon offer Guyon as a spouse?

A. Duessa
B. Lucifera
C. Philotime
D. Fidessa

C. Philotime
Philotime (Love of Honor/Ambition) is Mammon’s daughter, who sits on a throne offering worldly glory, which Guyon refuses.

27. Who is the sturdy villein that guards the entrance to Mammon’s great golden room?

A. Furor
B. Mammon himself
C. A guard of golden mould
D. Archimago

C. A guard of golden mould
This gold guard symbolizes how wealth itself becomes the barrier to wealth.

28. The hundred furnaces in Mammon’s domain are tended by:

A. Giants
B. Fairies
C. Feends
D. Cursed men

C. Feends
This scene in the Cave of Mammon shows that the pursuit of worldly wealth is a hellish, demonic activity.

29. Prince Arthur learned his lineage and virtue from an old man named:

A. Merlin
B. Timon
C. Archimago
D. Talus

B. Timon
Not to be confused with Merlin (who crafted his shield), Timon was Arthur’s foster father who raised him in virtue.
30. Arthur’s shield was crafted by whom?

A. Talus
B. Merlin
C. Timon
D. The Faerie Queene

B. Merlin
Merlin, the magician, crafted the diamond shield that represents divine truth.

31. Who were the two fierce brethren that assaulted Guyon after his encounter with Mammon?

A. Braggadocchio and Trompart
B. Pyrrochles and Cymochles
C. Furor and Occasion
D. Sansjoy and Sansloy

B. Pyrrochles and Cymochles
These brothers represent types of intemperance (fiery anger and watery lust/idleness) and attack Guyon when he is weak.

32. The knight who overthrew Marinell was a single damzell bearing what notable item?

A. A magical sword
B. An enchaunted lance
C. A massive club
D. A silver shield

B. An enchaunted lance
This damzell was Britomart, whose enchanted spear, representing Chastity, was unstoppable.

33. Britomart wounded Marinell on what geographical feature?

A. A sandy shallow
B. A rocky hill
C. The Rich strond
D. The wandering wood

C. The Rich strond
Marinell guarded the “Rich strond” (strand/beach), hoarding the treasures of the sea, until Britomart defeated him.

34. Britomart first saw the man she loved (Artegall) how?

A. In a tournament
B. In a magic mirror
C. In a waking dream
D. In a prophetic vision

B. In a magic mirror
She looked into a magical mirror (Venus’s looking glass) created by Merlin, which showed her “future husband,” Sir Artegall.
35. Britomart sought out Merlin for what primary reason?

A. To seek his kingdom
B. To be armed with a shield
C. To find her hidden love
D. To learn magic spells

C. To find her hidden love
After falling in love with the image in the mirror, she and her nurse Glauce went to Merlin to find out who he was and where to find him.

36. Who is Florimell’s true love?

A. Satyrane
B. Marinell
C. Artegall
D. Braggadocchio

B. Marinell
Others endlessly pursue Florimell but is in love with Marinell, who initially spurned her due to a prophecy.

37. Ate, riding with Blandamour and Paridell, is the mother of:

A. Debate and dissention
B. Lust and gluttony
C. Greed and pride
D. Tyranny and wrong

A. Debate and dissention
Ate is the goddess of Discord and Strife, and she stirs up conflict wherever she goes.

38. Agape, mother of the three brothers, sought to lengthen her sons’ lives by:

A. Giving them a magic sword
B. Knitting their souls into one
C. Infusing their lives into the next brother
D. Making them invulnerable

C. Infusing their lives into the next brother
Agape (Love) convinced the Fates to allow the life force of Priamond and Diamond, if slain, to pass into the third brother, Triamond.

39. Cambina stops the bloody battle between Cambell and Triamond by using:

A. Her bare hands
B. Her powrefull wand
C. Her magic mirror
D. Arthur’s shield

B. Her powrefull wand
Cambina, a symbol of concord and sister to Cambell, uses her magic wand and a cup filled with nepenthe to end the fight and make them friends.
40. What virtue did Florimell’s Girdle retain for the wearer?

A. It guaranteed long life
B. It granted victory in battle
C. It bound lascivious desire
D. It made the wearer invisible

C. It bound lascivious desire
The Girdle (Cestus) was a test of chastity; it would only stay fastened on a truly chaste woman, falling off all others.

41. What happens to the False Florimell when Britomart confronts Braggadocchio and uses the True Girdle?

A. She melts away
B. She runs away swiftly
C. She is turned back into wax
D. She is proven chaste

A. She melts away
When confronted by the true Florimell (and the Girdle), the False Florimell (made of snow and wax) “vanisht into nought.”

42. What weapon does Artegall’s iron groom, Talus, carry?

A. An yron sword
B. A golden club
C. An yron flale
D. A brazen shield

C. An yron flale
Talus represents the unswerving, mechanical execution of Justice, and his iron flail dispenses punishment without mercy.

43. Pollente defeats his foes on the narrow bridge chiefly by what method?

A. He uses a magic dart
B. He knocks them into a deep river
C. He employs traps and guile
D. He challenges them to swim

C. He employs traps and guile
Pollente (Extortion) used a trapdoor on the bridge to drop knights into the river, where he would then kill them.

44. Munera, daughter of Pollente, is described as having hands and feet made of what?

A. Iron and copper
B. Silver and gold
C. Brass and steel
D. Pearl and diamond

B. Silver and gold
This symbolizes that she is the “reward” (Munera) of extortion and bribery. Talus eventually cuts them off.
45. When Artegall challenged the Giant, what happened when the Giant tried to weigh the words “true or false” and “right or wrong”?

A. The words crushed the scale
B. The words flew out of the ballaunce
C. The scale balanced perfectly
D. The scale weighed heavily

B. The words flew out of the ballaunce
The Giant (representing false equality/communism) found that “false” and “wrong” were light, while “true” and “right” were too heavy, showing that justice is not about simple, physical equality.

46. Who defeats Sir Artegall by taking advantage of his momentary pity for her beauty, capturing him?

A. Duessa
B. Radigund
C. Munera
D. Irena

B. Radigund
The Amazon Queen Radigund defeats Artegall in combat after he is stunned by her beauty and hesitates to strike.

47. Who slays the Amazon Radigund, thereby freeing Sir Artegall?

A. Prince Arthur
B. Britomart
C. Talus
D. Clarinda

B. Britomart
Britomart, fueled by jealousy and love, comes to the Amazon city, defeats Radigund in single combat, and frees Artegall.

48. Queen Mercilla is best known for what ruling quality?

A. Justice only
B. Bounty and grace
C. Wrath and power
D. Chastity

B. Bounty and grace
Mercilla (an allegory for Queen Elizabeth I) tempers her justice with mercy (grace), as seen in her trial of Duessa.

49. The Legend of Sir Calidore is focused on which virtue?

A. Friendship
B. Temperance
C. Holiness
D. Courtesie

D. Courtesie
Book VI is “The Legend of Sir Calidore, or Of Courtesie.”
50. Sir Calidore chose to abandon his quest to remain with the rusticke sort, specifically because of his love for whom?

A. Serena
B. Mirabella
C. Pastorella
D. Irena

C. Pastorella
He falls in love with the shepherdess Pastorella and lives among the shepherds, temporarily forgetting his quest to capture the Blatant Beast.

Brief Overview

The Faerie Queene is a long, unfinished epic poem by Edmund Spenser. It was first published in two parts, in 1590 and 1596. It is an allegory, meaning the characters and events stand for deeper religious and moral meanings.

The poem is dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I, who is represented by the poem’s title character, the Faerie Queene, Gloriana. Spenser intended the poem to have twelve books, each focusing on a different moral virtue, but he completed only six.

The central plot follows Gloriana’s annual twelve-day feast. She sends out twelve different knights on quests. Each knight represents a specific Christian virtue, and their adventures test and strengthen that quality. For example, the first book features the Redcrosse Knight, who represents the virtue of Holiness.

The narrative combines elements of Arthurian romance, classical mythology, and Christian theology. The poem’s primary goal is stated in the prologue: “to fashion a gentleman or noble person in virtuous and gentle discipline.”

The poem is written in a distinct, complicated form now called the Spenserian stanza. This stanza has nine lines and a unique rhyme scheme. The Faerie Queene is famous for its lush, imaginative descriptions and its complex mix of morality, history, and fantasy.

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