The Faerie Queene is an incomplete English epic poem by Edmund Spenser. The first half was published in 1590, and a second installment was published in 1596. It is one of the longest poems in the English language. It is an allegorical work, and can be read on several levels of allegory.
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Gloriana, Queene of Fairy Land, daughter of Oberon, has appointed the Red Cross Knight to accompany Una on a journey to her kingdom to destroy a dragon that is ravaging the land and holding Una’s parents captive. They are antagonized along the way by Archimago the arch-mage, the witch Duessa, and the bad knight Sansloy.
King Arthur appears in disguise, searching for the Faerie Queen whom he saw in a dream.