"Disdeining life, desiring leaue to die"

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Paola Baseotto’s study highlights the pervasive theme of death in Spenser’s works, illustrating its intimate relationship with life. She examines the unsettling figures of “deathwishers,” characters straddling the line between the living and the dead, prompting both characters and readers to reconsider their perceptions of death and its influence on life. Baseotto’s analysis of these “deathwishers” and “living dead” reveals compelling imagery in Spenser’s writing, enhanced by her detailed attention to language, context, and an informed understanding of contemporary religious attitudes. Through a close examination of Spenser’s works, from The Shepheardes Calender to The Faerie Queene and lesser-known poems like The Ruines of Time and Daphnaida in Complaints, she establishes the centrality and distinctiveness of Spenser’s portrayal of death. This study sheds new light on a crucial yet overlooked aspect of Spenser’s writing. Baseotto’s rigorous yet accessible approach reveals Spenser’s remarkable and modern sensibility, engaging readers with unexpected emotional depth. Her work offers a fresh perspective on Spenser, making it a significant contribution to the understanding of his literary legacy.