The Redcrosse knight is captiue made
By Gyaunt proud opprest,
Prince Arthur meets with Vna great-
ly with those newes distrest.
Stanzas:
1 - 2: Deceit can trick anyone and here Duessa, disguised as Fidessa, finds and tricks redcross knight.
3 - 4: They rest beside an enchanted fountain.
5 - 6: The fountain causes lethargy in those who drink from it.
Redcross knight drinks from it.
7 - 15: Redcross knight is weak & weary from the effects of the fountain when the giant Orgoglio [pride] arrives. The giant defeats him and takes him to a dungeon.
16 - 18: Duessa is given by Orgoglio a triple crown and a 7-headed beast to ride.
19 - 28: The dwarf collects redcross knight's effects, & encounters Una who swoons three times in grief at the sight of her knight's things. The dwarf tells her all that's happened and that he does not know if redcross knight is alive or dead. Una determines to find him, alive or dead.
29 - 38: Una encounters a great knight who is then described, including the fact that his armour was made by Merlin (36). The knight [Arthur] asks Una why she is so sorrowful.
39 - 42: Arthur tries to persuade Una to say what troubles her, & eventually succeeds.
43 - 7: Una tells of the Dragon that holds her parents captive, her trip to Gloriana, Gloriana's provision of an "unproved" knight.
48: Arthur asks what's happened to him.
49 - 51: Una tells of Duessa's tricks and the giant's capture of redcross knight.
52: Arthur swears to help, thus reviving Una.
Faire virgin to redeeme her deare
brings Arthur to the fight,
Who slayes the Gyant, wounds the beast,
and strips Duessa quight.
Stanzas:
1-2: Poetic induction: the case of the Red Cross Knight is applicable to any of us; Una's function is analogous to God's grace, which everyone needs; Una & her party arrive at the Giant's castle.
3-[12-15]-[18-21]-25: Arthur battles and kills the Giant; @ 12 - 15 Duessa tries to use the multi-headed beast to kill Arthur, but is thwarted by Arthur's squire; @ 18 - 21 the Giant's force is represented as too great to be withstood 1.8.18.9: "What mortall wight could ever beare so monstrous blow?", but Arthur's shield (of righteousness?) is uncovered and the light blinds his foe, thus enabling his victory.
26-8: Una runs onto the field at the defeat of the Giant; she and Arthur demonstrate their nobility through discourse; Una encourages Arthur not to let Duessa escape, and reminds him of Red Cross Knight's captivity.
29-39: Arthur enters the Giant's castle to find Red Cross Knight, along the way encountering Ignaro (ignorance); Arthur finds Red Cross Knight in a manner that recalls the Harrowing of Hell (38-9).
40-1: Arthur retrieves Red Cross Knight from the dungeon.
42-5: Una and Red Cross Knight reunited; Red Cross Knight offers the moral that we should learn from our mistakes (1.8.44.5-6); the judgment of Duessa given over to Red Cross Knight.
46-9: Duessa's sentence is to be stripped of all her regal trappings and sent into the world naked; all are shocked at the horrible reality those trappings had hidden; she is allowed to go free.
50: Duessa takes off to the wilderness; Una et al stay on in the Giant's castle to recover from their ordeal.