Considered one of the most influential poems in the English language, Edmund Spenser's "The Faerie Queene" is a fusion of Arthurian romance and Italian Renaissance epic styles. Written in the 16th century, the poem is heavily laced with allegory and metaphor. Spenser wrote the bulk of the poem while serving as a private secretary in Ireland, and dedicated it to Queen Elizabeth I. Divided into six books, the fantastical "Faerie Queene" explores a world...