Abstract
The aim of this thesis has been to examine Spenser s A View of the Present State of Ireland in the light of the historical, social and political situation in which it was written. A View was a political statement and it was used as propaganda to convey the visions and goals of Spenser and his friends. It was not written for the purpose of entertainment, but it was a comment upon the contemporary policy of the Elizabethan government. A View has been criticised for its brutal content, so in order to assess whether or not this claim can be justified, I have presented texts written by Spenser s contemporaries in order to compare their views of Ireland and the Irish.