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

This volume is dedicated to the English writings of John Gower, a towering figure in medieval English literature alongside Geoffrey Chaucer. The centerpiece of the collection is the Confessio Amantis, a monumental poem structured as a confession made to Genius, the priest of Venus. Gower utilizes this framing device to explore the Seven Deadly Sins and their ramifications, weaving in a vast array of classical mythology, biblical narratives, and historical anecdotes. The author shifts from a broader moral rebuke of contemporary society to a more focused examination of love, human folly, and governance.

Throughout the work, the moral lessons are intertwined with engaging storytelling, displaying Gower's mastery of the octosyllabic couplet and his commitment to plain, direct English. The text also includes a detailed introduction by the editor G.C. Macaulay, tracing the transmission of the manuscripts, the author's biography, linguistic characteristics, and the historical context of the writing. This edition preserves the authentic orthography of the Fairfax manuscript, ensuring a reliable representation of late fourteenth-century literary English for scholars and readers alike.