Arthur, Maleger, and History in the Allegorical Context

ARTHUR, MALEGER, AND HISTORY IN THE ALLEGORICAL CONTEXT LEWIS H. MILLER, JR. Prince Arthur's desperate encounter with Maleger (Book II, canto xi, of The Faerie Queene) has promoted a variety of critical speculations. Josephine Bennett blames Guyon for shirking his duty as he "is made to slip away ignominiously," leaving Arthur to defend Alma's castle against Maleger and his crew.' Although Mrs. Bennett's view has been altered and refined by more recent critics of Spenser, her view incorporates an attitude which is common to all the commentaries which deal with canto xi-namely, that Arthur's fight with Maleger is, or should be, Guyon's fight. This is to say that Spenser's critics in attending to the Arthur-Maleger encounter are wont to locate the episode's centre of importance outside Arthur's own concerns, in order to concentrate upon Guyon and his basic limitations. Harry Berger, following A. S. P. Woodhouse 's suggestion that Maleger represents Original Sin, characteristically announces that "corruption, the sickness unto death [Maleger], is not merely an illness of the weak, as Guyon had supposed, but an essential factor to be considered by the healthy. It is not in Guyon's nature to he aware of Maleger; but God has provided for this by sending Arthur."2 The emphasiS here is upon Guyon and the limitations which his "sophrosyne" presents. Berger believes that only Arthur can be aware of Maleger and can deal with him properly, and that this is why Spenser has had Guyon leave the scene before Maleger begins his menacing assault (xi, 5). A. C. Hamilton also believes that Arthur is unique in his ability to deal with Maleger, a Maleger whom Hamilton views as quite definitely linked with Guyon's own being: "Arthur must free the body from outward infliction by slaying Maleger. Then Guyon may do more than resist the Bower of Bliss ... he can destroy it.'" It is the intention of this article to focus upon canto xi in the light not of Guyon's quest but of Arthur's, in order to show how the Prince's difficult victory over Maleger is of crucial importance, not to Sir Guyon, but to Arthur himself. I have intimated above that Guyon's rather swift departure, as it is immediately followed by the sudden and dangerous harassments of Volume xxxv, Number 2, January, 1966 ARTHUR, MALBGBR, AND HISTORY 177 Maleger and his crew, is customarily taken to indicate Guyon's Own inability to cope with the forces which Maleger represents. It will serve us well first to''examine the particular passage in question : For all so soone, as Guyon thence was gon Vpon his voyage with his trustie guide, That wicked band of villeins fresh began That castle to assaile on euery side, And lay strong siege about it far and wide. (II, xi, 5)' It appears to me that Spenser's commentators, in their desire to find limitations in Guyon's classical Temperance, have ignored the basic import of the sequence of events which Spenser describes in this passage . Surely, the cause-and-effect relationship which Spenser sets up here does not reHect upon Guyon's limitations (if it reHects upon Guyon at all) but upon his advantages. No sooner does Guyon leave the castle (cause) than the wicked band begins its formidable attack (effect). It is almost as if Guyon's presence within the castle acts as a deterrent to the forays of Maleger. What seems to have been so often overlooked is that Spenser takes pains to minimize the dangerous potential of Maleger while Sir Guyon is around. If we turn back brieHy to canto ix in which Maleger and his company first appear, we shall see for one thing that Guyon-notwithstanding Mr. Berger-is indeed aware of Maleger; but, more important, we shall see how Spenser purposefully diminishes the dangerous potential which is Maleger's. Guyon and Arthur's first encounter with Maleger is described as follows: A while they Bed, but soone retumd againe With greater fury, then before was found; And euermore their cruell Capitaine Sought with his raskall routs t'enclose them round, And overrun to tread them to...