Even though he died years ago, he is considered primarily a great poet still today. It is self-explanatory of how great his work really is. Unique as a nondramatic poet in the Elizabethan age created many famous poems and writings. Spenser's special language is just right for his subject matter, and all the objections to him are easily overlooked by readers who want to lose themselves in the glorious world of imagination" (E.E. Cummings). He developed the nine-line Spenserian stanza which was widely imitated by poets in later times.
Spenser was born in Circa 1552, in London, England (World's Greatest Classic Books). He was born to a family of modest means at the time. He was the son of John Spenser who was a free journeyman cloth maker resident in east Smithfield in London. There is nothing much known of his mother only that her name was Elizabeth. He was the oldest of three children. Spenser seems to have had at least one sister, Sarah, and the rest brothers (Richard Baer). .
As a boy, the future poet entered the Merchant Taylors" school under Richard Mulcaster (Anniina Jokinen). While at this school, he is known to have studied acting and music and also learned many languages. These include Greek, Latin, Hebrew, French, and English. He later went to Cambridge between the years of 1569-76 to Pembroke Hall. He took his Bachelor's degree in 1573 and his Master's in 1576 (Anniina Jokinen). Spenser served as a secretary to Bishop John Young after his degrees by 1578. He then was employed by the Earl of Leicester where he made friends and formed a literacy group called "Areopagus". This supported the cause of the Leicester faction in matters of politics and religion. In July 1580 he was appointed a secretary to Arthur which was the fourteenth Lord Grey de Wilton. Rather after he left England he became Lord Deputy of Ireland. The Lord Deputy's forces besieged, captured, and executed a much larger and better provisioned Papal and Spanish force in the Fort d"Oro at Smerwick (Richard Baer).
