Throughout Spenser's first book of Faerie Queen, the reader can easily see Spenser's feeling towards women and the role they tend to play in a good Christian man's life. When readers are first introduced to a woman, she is represented as the pure and good Una escorting Red Crosse on his first quest which is to free her parents from the dragon that has ensnared them for many years. The next encounter with a female creature would be Errous, a revolting half-woman half-snake that Red Crosse must defeat. The final mistress of this particular book is Duessa, fondly known to the knights she captivates as Fidessa. All three women must goad Red Crosse along on his journey and each women contributes to the failure or success of the next.
Although Una is the first woman Red Crosse encounters, I would like to focus first on Errous. Spenser depicts Errous as a disgusting creature who lives deep within a cave. Errous is portrayed as a motherly figure. In her tale, the reader learns that she has thousands of babies spawning from her after Red Crosse decapitates her. This brings up an interesting point. It suggests that all children must separate themselves and take a piece of their upbringing with them. Because the epic begins en medias res Red Crosse's origin remains unknown to the reader, and it doesn't take away from his quest. However, the first major task he comes across is going up against a brooding mother. In a way, Red Crosse goes into a cave, which could symbolize a womb, and defeats a motherly figure who gives life to her children before their lives end as well. It shows the cycle of life in a revolting way, but I believe that Errous may represent the bonds men have with their mothers from birth and how that bond is severed as other women come into their lives.
From here, I would like to move to the Gemini woman, Duessa. Duessa, or Fidessa to her lovers, represents the classic notion of woman as a temptation. She finds the weaknesses of knights who travel in her path and plays those weaknesses of chivalry and love against them. Although both man and dwarf have warned Red Crosse against the snares of Duessa, Red Crosse blindly follows her much like a lost puppy. In her company, he finds a false sense of strength and pride which allows him to believe in himself if only for a short period of time. Her fickle emotions for every knight she encounters plays to the notion that all women are manipulative and that they use men as expendable toys. Duessa represents the sultry woman. She is Delilah and Red Crosse is her Samson. After their short visit to the house of pride, she consummates her fickle feelings of power with Red Crosse, leaving him vulnerable and used. Duessa represents the first time a man believes he is in love, only to discover that the woman simply toyed with his emotions for her gain.
Finally, Una comes into the lime light. However, I don't believe it is fair to categorize her with these last two female characters. Una represents faith, but not in the sense of religion. Una represents Red Crosse's faith in himself. Throughout his trials, Una constantly motivates Red Crosse and allows him to see the potential underneath the damaged armor. Despite the fact that Red Crosse has committed numerous moral sins, Una constantly searches for him and when she finds him forgets about all his transgressions. Una is fair, both in heart and in beauty. Her purity represents the unity and sacred vows of matrimony and how love strengthens each partner. Una's love allows her to continue on her quest to find her beloved, and her love for Red Crosse sustains him during all his tribulations. One may read their relationship as unfair, because Una gives so much and receives little in return. However, Una transforms Red Crosse into the valiant knight of her dreams and this act of selflessness creates a man worthy to love Una in return. Red Crosse's lack of experience and naive nature cause him to go astray from his true love, but through her faith in him and a little bit of reason constantly looking after him, he redeems himself at last.
I can understand Spenser's negative notions about women. In Christian teachings, women lead the men astray, such as Jessabelle and Eve. Men assume women to be infidels, like Joseph believed Mary had been dishonest and unfaithful or when Bathsheba slept with King David. These wicked women are conveyed through the manipulative Duessa and the repulsive Errous, both monstrously trying to hide their true forms from men they encounter. However, women like Una who embodies the attitude of Ruth allow for women to be redeemed from the negative stigma that often follows their gender.
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