Edmund Spenser, the Faerie Queene, Book One, Canto Two, First Stanza

By this the Northerne wagoner had set

His seven fold teame behind the stedfast starre,

That was in Ocean waves yet never wet,

But firme is fixt, and sendeth light from farre

To all, that in the wide deepe wandring arre:

And cherefull Chaunticlere with his note shrill

Had warned once, that Phoebus fiery carre

In hast was climbing up the Easterne hill,

Full envious that night so long his roome did fill.

This stanza consists of nine lines. Lines one through eight are written in iambic pentameter with line nine in iambic hexameter. There is a variationin in line two of iambic, iambic, dactyl, dactyl, dactyl and spondee which highlights the meaning of this stanza. The rhyming scheme is ABABCDCDD. The stanza sets the scene for canto two. Redcrosse and Una are separated by Archimago, the evil sorcerer who despises Redcrosse. Redcrosse bears the emblem of Saint George, the patron saint of England. Accordingly, Archimago represents the nemesis of England. The "Northern wagoner" is Ursa Major, the constellation that is visible throughout the year in the northern hemisphere (1). Ursa Major consists of a "Seven fold teame" or seven stars that form the shape of a plough (2). The configuration is known in the Americas as the Big Dipper, but in England as the Plough. The constellation is dominated by the "Stedfast starre" (2) The "Steadfast starre" is the Northern star (2). The Northern star is the brightest star in the constellation. The Northern star's position remains relatively fixed, which makes the "Steadfast starre" with its "seven fold teame" useful in celestial navigation (2). The configuration is a dependable indicator of the direction towards the North Pole, and their angle of elevation can determine latitudinal position on earth.

On a clear night, the stars reflect off the ocean's surface. Thus, the stars are in "Ocean waves yet never wet" (3). The Plough "Firme is fixt, and sendeth light from farre" (4). The plough, or plow, is an historical cultivation tool used for preparing soil for planting. Similar to the importance of the plough is to farming, so is the Plough to navigation. Navigation is important "To all, that in the wide deepe wandring arre" (5). Una and Redcrosse are "Wandering" below as they try to navigate towards the other (5).

The "Chearefull Chaunticlere with his note shrill had warnèd once, that Phoebus fiery carre" (6-7). A "Chaunticlere" is generic name for a rooster (6). A "Chearefull Chaunticlere" is the name of the cock in the fabliaux and beast epics (6). Those epics include 'Roman de Renart' and 'Reineke Fuchs.' The rooster "With his note shrill" crows to warn that "Phoebus fiery carre," the sun is rising on the horizon (6). "Phoebus fiery carre" is referring to Phoebus Apollo, the sun god's "carre," chariot (7). The sun "In hast was climbing up the Eastern hill" (8). The sun is rising in the east, and the "Eastern hill" represents the "eastern horizon."

Phoebus was "Full envious that night so long his roome did fill" (9). The night was long where Phoebus grudgingly with tight-fist did endure.