The Matter of Consent in “Book of Chastity” of The Faerie Queene After #MeToo

This essay examines the pedagogical challenges and opportunities of teaching Edmund Spenser's “Book of Chastity” from The Faerie Queene (1590/1596) to South Korean undergraduate women in the post-#MeToo era. Set against the backdrop of student protests against campus sexual misconduct, the study explores how an early modern English poem portraying non-consensual relationships is received in a contemporary, all-female academic setting. Through a case study of an upper-level course on women and literature, the research investigates students' responses to Spenser's allegory, focusing on its treatment of female agency and consent within the prevailing rape culture. The essay highlights the complexities of bridging early modern literature with current discussions on gender and consent, examining students' critical engagement with a male-authored canon addressing chastity and consent. By exploring these pedagogical experiences, the study contributes to the ongoing dialog about teaching historically significant and yet potentially problematic texts in a modern, culturally specific context, while remaining sensitive to evolving perspectives on gender, consent, and literary interpretation in the wake of the #MeToo movement.