John Gower

Karen Elaine Smyth (University of East Anglia)

Ed. by Hugh Magennis, Queen's University Belfast
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.02: English Writing and Culture: High and Late Medieval, 1066-1485.
Vol. editors: Kate Ash-Irisarri (University of Edinburgh), Rory Critten (Université de Lausanne), David Fuller (University of Durham), Natalie Hanna (University of Liverpool), Hugh Magennis (Queen's University Belfast), Jamie McKinstry (University of Durham), Sarah Peverley (University of Liverpool), Sebastian Sobecki (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen)

Dates

Born c. 1330
Died 1408
Activity c. 1376-c. 1400

Places

Born in England
Active in England

Activities

Primary

Poet

Resources

With Geoffrey Chaucer and William Langland, John Gower is one of the most important poets of the English Middle Ages, his renown resting on his numerous short lyrics and the four poems known as the Mirour de l'Omme, Vox Clamantis, Cronica Tripertita [also called Cronica Tripartita, i.e. the Tripartite Chronicle], and Confessio Amantis. Very little is known of Gower's life, but his work is of impressive scope, being written in French, Latin and English, in genres ranging from love lyrics to didactic poems, and addressing religious, political, historical and moral themes. However, the critical heritage has not always compared the poet favourably with his contemporaries because of his reputation …

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2054 words

Citation: Smyth, Karen Elaine. "John Gower". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 April 2008 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=1825, accessed 23 November 2024.]

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