Two editions of The Faerie Queene were printed in Spenser’s lifetime, one in 1590 and the other in 1596. Both editions are what are known as quartos. This is a description of the physical size of a book. Books were printed on large sheets of paper about the size of a modern broadsheet newspaper. These were then folded and bound together to turn them into books. When a book was printed in quarto, each of these large sheets of paper was folded twice - into quarters - to produce four leaves (a leaf has two sides, each of which is one page).
A quarto is about the size of a modern paperback. In the 1590s, that would have made The Faerie Queene seem like a relatively small and cheap book. On the other hand, it was normal for important and expensive books to be printed in a larger format called a folio (like the famous ‘First Folio’ of Shakespeare’s plays) where each sheet of paper was only folded once. Soon after Spenser died, collected editions of all his poetry began to appear in this folio format. These would have been significantly more expensive than the first quarto editions.
The size and format of a book are important. In modern bookshops, we can see how different sorts of books, intended for different sorts of readers, will look and feel different. If the early quarto editions of The Faerie Queene were like modern paperbacks, and later editions were like expensive hardbacks, what might that have meant for the way people thought about Spenser’s poetry, both in his lifetime and after his death?
Beginning to print Spenser’s poetry in folios was an important statement about his importance as a poet. It reflected publishers’ beliefs that there were now plenty of customers willing to pay for more expensive editions of his works.
More about The Faerie Queene
The lost key: Hear how Spenser removed the preface which explained what The Faerie Queene means.
Visit Poet's Corner: Go on an adventure to Westminster Abbey and take pleasure in a painting.
The Secret Life of Books: Find out more about the other books in the series.
Feeling loving, adventurous or scared? Poetry Prescription will find you the perfect poem to reflect your mood.
Level: 1 Introductory Download the app from the BBC Four series, The Secret Life of Books.
Explore the wonders of the literary world with these five quirky animations.
Level: 1 Introductory In the last century which women writers have truly challenged the existing forms of literature? How did they make their voices heard using brand new techniques and styles? For centuries there have been women writers who have changed the face of literature, but we tend to talk of their lives and work in very certain terms. This series of video-slideshows reveals how writing and reputation are often forged in transition, uncertainty and change. In these 4 films we re-examine the lives, work and influence of: Virginia Woolf, Jean Rhys, Katherine Mansfield and Jeanette Winterson.
This material forms part of the Open University course A300 20th century literature: texts and debates. Level: 1 Introductory Why do people visit museums of writers' homes? Discover the secret life of authors in this short video.
Level: 1 IntroductoryExpand your mind
Poetry Prescription
The Secret Life of Books: Download the app
Outside the book
Women Writers: Voices in Transition
The author at home
Start writing fiction is a free course that helps you to get started with your own fiction writing, focusing on the central skill of creating characters.
Level: 1 Introductory Have you always wanted to try to write poetry but never quite managed to start? This free course, What is poetry?, is designed to illustrate the techniques behind both the traditional forms of poetry and free verse. You will learn how you can use your own experiences to develop ideas and how to harness your imagination.
Level: 1 Introductory Do you want to get more out of your reading? This free course, Approaching prose fiction, is designed to develop the analytical skills you need for a more in-depth study of literary texts. You will learn about narrative events and perspectives, the setting of novels, types of characterisation and genre.
Level: 2 Intermediate Do you want to get more out of your reading of poetry? This free course, Approaching poetry, is designed to develop the analytical skills you need for a more in-depth study of literary texts. You will learn about rhythm, alliteration, rhyme, poetic inversion, voice and line lengths and endings. You will examine poems that do not rhyme and learn how to compare and contrast poetry.
Level: 2 IntermediateTry free courses
Start writing fiction: characters and stories
What is poetry?
Approaching prose fiction
Approaching poetry
Take your interest in literature further by studying with the Open University.
Level: 1 Introductory If you are interested in reading between the lines, and being challenged by new ideas and ways of seeing, then this course is for you. English literature is a broad, accessible and important subject. On this course you'll study an exciting range of texts from many different periods and settings, including novels, drama and poetry, and discover an exciting variety of approaches for reading and interpreting them. You will develop your skills of analysis and communication, which will enable you to take a fresh look at familiar texts, and to encounter new texts and ideas with confidence. From 18th Century chapbooks through to Young Adult novels, explore a vibrant world.
Study with the Open University
Become a student: study English Literature
BA (Honours) English Literature
Study Children's Literature with the OU
Newsletter
Be the first to post a comment
We invite you to discuss this subject, but remember this is a public forum.
Please be polite, and avoid your passions turning into contempt for others. We may delete posts that are rude or aggressive, or edit posts containing contact details or links to other websites.