The complete works of John Gower, volume 2: The English works

About this book

The volume presents the English portion of John Gower’s Confessio Amantis, a fifteenth‑century poem that blends moral instruction with a series of love‑themed narratives. The opening pages are a scholarly prefatory note that explains the editor’s reliance on the Fairfax manuscript, the care taken in correcting errors, and the historical context of the work’s reception. The introduction that follows surveys Gower’s reputation from the medieval period through the sixteenth century, citing his popularity among contemporaries, translations into Spanish and Portuguese, and references by figures such as Ben Jonson and Shakespeare’s Pericles. The text then turns to an analysis of Gower’s literary characteristics, emphasizing his shift from moralist to storyteller, his use of the confession framework, and his skill in arranging familiar tales into a coherent, engaging whole.

Gower writes in Middle English verse, employing octosyllabic couplets that convey a straightforward, almost conversational tone. His style is less flamboyant than Chaucer’s, favoring clear narrative over elaborate digression, which gives the poem a steady, readable rhythm. Readers who enjoy medieval literature, the evolution of English poetic form, or the interplay of moral themes with popular storytelling will find this work rewarding. It also appeals to scholars tracing the transmission of literary ideas across Europe, as the poem’s early translations and frequent citations illustrate its wide influence.

Opening lines

Oxford PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS BY HORACE HART, M.A. PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY PREFATORY NOTE The circumstances under which this edition was undertaken have already been stated in the Preface to the volume containing the French Works, where mention is also made of the editor’s obligations to many librarians and private owners of manuscripts. At present it need only be said that the editor has become more and more convinced, as his work went on, of the value and authentic character of the text given by the Fairfax MS. of the Confessio Amantis , which as proceeding directly from the author, though not written by his hand, may claim the highest rank as an authority for his language. …

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