The name ''Archimago'' means ''arch-magician'' He is one of the most dynamic characters in Book-1 of The Faerie Queene. Outwardly he appears to be a holy person but inwardly he is extremely evil. He is a magician, constantly on the move, doing something or other in the service of the devil. He is a master in the art of disguise and dissembling. He appears before the Red Cross Knight and Lady Una as a very old man with bare feet, a white and grey beard, wearing a long black garment, and a book hanging from his belt. His eyes are bent downwards as if gazing at the ground below, and as he walks on the way, he seems to pray and often beats his breast like a man who repents for his sins. Allegorically Archimago personifies hypocrisy, but in fact, he represents a far greater wickedness than we generally associate with hypocrisy. His mission is to work out sinister designs and intrigues against Lady Una (Truth) and the Red Cross Knight (Holiness) so that they may be separated from each other. He also represents one of the exponents of the Roman Catholic faith, out to damage and undermines the forces of Reformation as represented by the Red Cross Knight Prince Arthur, and Una. Historically, Archimago stands for Philip II of Spain, who was a Roman Catholic by faith.
0 comments:
Post a Comment