Edmund Spenser

                         Edmund Spenser was born in 1552 London. Edmund Spenser was probably the son of john Spenser. as a young boy, he was educated in London at the merchant taylors' school and matriculated as a Sizar at Pembroke college, Cambridge. while at Cambridge he became a friend of Gabriel Harvey and later consulted him, despite their differing views on poetry.    

                       In july 1580, Spenser went to Ireland in service of the newly appointed lord deputy, Arthur grey, 14th baron de wilton. some time between 1587 and 1589, spenser acquired his main estate at kilcolman, near doneraile in north cork.
             In 1590, Spenser brought out the first three books of his most famous work, the faerie queene, having travelled to London to publish and promote the work, with the likely assistance of Raleigh.
            Spenser's first wife had died, and in that year he married Elizabeth Boyle, who was much younger than him, possible his native county.in 1596, Spenser wrote a prose pamphlet titled a view of the present state of Ireland.in 1598, during the nine years war, Spenser was driven from his home by the native irish forces of Aodh o Neill. his castle at kilcolman was burned, and ben Jonson, who may have had private information, asserted that one of his infant children died in the blaze.
           In the year after being driven from his home, 1599, Spenser travelled to London, where he died at the age of forty-six "for want of bread", according to ben Jonson one of Jonson's more doubtful statements, since Spenser had a payment to him Authorised by the government and was due his pension. his second wife survived him and remarried twice. his sister Sarah, who had accompanied him to Ireland, married into the travers family, and her descendants were prominent landowners in cork for centuries.


                       Minor poem :                        
                            Next to his masterpiece the Shepherd's calendar   (  1579 ) is the best known for Spenser's poem. It consists of twelve pastoral poem.

                         His theme of writing are generally rural life, nature, love in the field.
       
                Other noteworthy poems are " Mother Hubbard's tale" a satire on society. "Astrophel" an elegy on the death of Sidney , the marriage hymn " Epithalamion " and four "Hymns " on love, beauty, heavenly love and heavenly beauty.

Characteristics of his poetry :

    1. A perfect melody.
    2. A rare sense of beauty.
    3. A splendid imagination.
    4. A lofty moral purity and  seriousness.                         
     5. A delicate idealism.
   
           Because of his contribution in English literature we can say that in true manner he is poet of poet.