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Arthur
The Redcross Knight is the protagonist of the first book of The Faerie Queene (and he also makes brief appearances in later books). His lover is the lady Una, and he becomes friends with Prince Arthur. The Redcross Knight is part elf and he wears dented armor, but his most distinctive feature is his shield, which features a red design in the shape of a Christian cross—the origin of his name. The Redcross Knight is a version of St. George (a real religious figure), who, according to legend, slayed a dragon. Like the legendary St. George, the Redcross Knight does eventually slay the dragon that is terrorizing Una and her family at their castle, although even after completing this heroic feat, the Redcross Knight continues to wander as part of his service to the Faerie Queene. As his shield suggests, the Redcross Knight embodies the virtue of holiness, and though he can be temporarily misled by tricks or foiled by strong adversaries, he always triumphs in the end.
Redcross Knight Quotes in The Faerie Queene
The The Faerie Queene quotes below are all either spoken by Redcross Knight or refer to Redcross Knight. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Book I: Canto I
Quotes
A Gentle Knight was pricking on the plaine,
Y clad in mightie armes and silver shielde,
Wherein old dints of deepe wounds did remaine,
The cruel markes of many a bloudy fielde;
[…]
But on his brest a bloudie Crosse he bore,
The dear remembrance of his dying Lord,
For whose weete sake that glorious badge he wore,
And dead as living ever him ador’d:
Upon his shield the like was also scor’d
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Book I: Canto IV
Quotes
Young knight, what ever that does armes professe,
And through long labours huntest after fame,
Beware of fraud, beware of ficklenesse,
In choice, and change of thy deare loved Dame
Book I: Canto IX
Quotes
Come, come away, fraile, feeble, fleshly wight,
Ne let vaine words bewitch thy manly hart,
Ne divelish thoughts dismay thy constant spright.
Book I: Canto XII
Quotes
Now strike your sailes ye jolly Mariners,
For we come unto a quiet rode,
Where we must land some of our passengers,
And light this wearie vessel of her lode.
Book II: Canto IV
Quotes
And round the wreath, this word was writ,
Burnt I do burne. Right well beseemed it,
To be the shield of some redoubted knight
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Redcross Knight Quotes in The Faerie Queene
The The Faerie Queene quotes below are all either spoken by Redcross Knight or refer to Redcross Knight. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Book I: Canto I
Quotes
A Gentle Knight was pricking on the plaine,
Y clad in mightie armes and silver shielde,
Wherein old dints of deepe wounds did remaine,
The cruel markes of many a bloudy fielde;
[…]
But on his brest a bloudie Crosse he bore,
The dear remembrance of his dying Lord,
For whose weete sake that glorious badge he wore,
And dead as living ever him ador’d:
Upon his shield the like was also scor’d
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Book I: Canto IV
Quotes
Young knight, what ever that does armes professe,
And through long labours huntest after fame,
Beware of fraud, beware of ficklenesse,
In choice, and change of thy deare loved Dame
Book I: Canto IX
Quotes
Come, come away, fraile, feeble, fleshly wight,
Ne let vaine words bewitch thy manly hart,
Ne divelish thoughts dismay thy constant spright.
Book I: Canto XII
Quotes
Now strike your sailes ye jolly Mariners,
For we come unto a quiet rode,
Where we must land some of our passengers,
And light this wearie vessel of her lode.
Book II: Canto IV
Quotes
And round the wreath, this word was writ,
Burnt I do burne. Right well beseemed it,
To be the shield of some redoubted knight
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