# Canto II explained — The Faerie Queene > Chapter companion for The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser. ## What happens Archimago, enraged by the failure of his initial deception, creates a false vision of Una in a squire's embrace to trick the Redcrosse Knight. The knight, believing Una unfaithful, flees in despair. Una awakens to find him gone and searches for him. Archimago then disguises himself as the Redcrosse Knight and encounters the distressed Duessa, who presents herself as Fidessa and recounts a false tale of her past. They travel together and come across two trees, one of which is the transformed Fradubio, who tells the Redcrosse Knight of his own tragic transformation by Duessa. The knight, unknowingly in the company of Duessa, is horrified by the tale. ## Themes in this chapter ### Truth and Deception Archimago's elaborate deceptions drive the plot, as he uses false visions and disguises to separate the Redcrosse Knight from Una and to mislead others. ### Love and Desire The false vision of love and lust leads the Redcrosse Knight to jealousy and despair, while Duessa's feigned distress plays on the knight's compassion. ### Nature and the Supernatural The enchanted trees, the magical transformations of Fradubio, and Archimago's sorcery highlight the supernatural elements that pervade the natural world. ## Character check-ins ### Redcrosse Knight Deceived by Archimago's false vision, he abandons Una and later travels with Duessa, unaware of her true nature. ### Una Awakens to find the Redcrosse Knight gone and searches for him, grieving his departure. ### Archimago Crafts a false vision to separate the Redcrosse Knight from Una, then disguises himself as the knight to further deceive. ### Duessa Appears as the distressed Fidessa, telling a fabricated story to the disguised Archimago, and later accompanies the Redcrosse Knight. ### Fradubio Transformed into a tree by Duessa, he recounts his tragic story to the Redcrosse Knight. ## Key lines > The guilefull great Enchaunter parts The Redcross Knight from Truth: Into whose stead faire Falsehood steps And workes him woefull ruth. The cunning magician separates the Redcrosse Knight from Una (Truth), and false Duessa takes her place, causing the knight great sorrow. _This opening summary sets up the central deception of the canto._ > Rise, rise! unhappy Swaine, That here wex old in sleepe, whiles wicked wights Have knit themselves in Venus shameful chaine: Come, see where your false Lady doth her honor staine. Archimago wakes the Redcrosse Knight, urging him to see Una's supposed infidelity. _Archimago's false accusation triggers the knight's flight._ > He then devisde himselfe how to disguise; For by his mighty science he could take As many formes and shapes in seeming wise, As ever Proteus to himselfe could make. Archimago uses his magical powers to change his appearance, just as Proteus could transform into many forms. _Highlights Archimago's shape-shifting ability and his plan to impersonate the Redcrosse Knight._ > O! spare with guilty hands to teare My tender sides in this rough rynd embard; But fly, ah! fly far hence away, for feare Least to you hap that happened to me heare, and to this wretched Lady, my deare love. The tree (Fradubio) begs the knight not to harm him and warns him to flee, lest he suffer the same fate as Fradubio and his lady. _Fradubio's warning foreshadows the danger of Duessa's deception._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters/canto-ii - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_faerie_queene_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_faerie_queene_se/chapters