The poet begins as “vncouthe,” that is, anonymous, unknkown and unexperienced; his aim is to become both “kent” or known, and “kenning” or knowing—experienced enough to be an accomplished author, and recognized as such by the world at large. The first of these aims will result in his being “kissed” or praised by the reading public and his courtly audience, but at the same time can only result from being “kissed” or touched by critical contact. If the poet remains unnoticed by criticism (“vnkisste”) he will always remain obscure (“vncouthe”) in the twin senses of unheard-of but also invisible, unavailable to the consciousness of his potential readers. The one who can provide him not only with fame but, at one level, his very existence, is the already knowledgeable EK. The self-consciousness of Spenser’s first major work thus involves a paratextual form which “in its deictic frame structured like a set of Chinese boxes, or perhaps of receding mirrors” goes further than mere self-presentation, to an immanent comment upon the epistemological role of criticism and its place at the core of literary production.
Posted 7 hours ago.
