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Phaon: An Emotional Squire in The Faerie Queene

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Phaon (or Phedon), is a minor character that appears in book 2 of Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene.

He is first seen being dragged about by Furor and Occasion before being rescued by Sir Guyon.

He later shares his own tale, which is a source for William Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing, a story about love that is out of control. Guyon advises him to use more temperance in his life, completing the theme of temperance in book 2.

In his story, we learn that Philemon, his friend, provokes him into thinking that his fiancée has betrayed him. Phaon gives into passionate feelings of revenge, kills his fiancée, as well as Philemon. It’s no wonder that he is later beset by Furor (or rage), following these acts.

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Jason is a Mythic Fantasy Author and creator of MythBank. He loves mythology, history, and geek culture. When he's not writing, his favorite hobbies include hiking, chilling with his wife, spouting nonsense words at his baby daughter, and developing this (and other) websites.

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