Appearance
Excerpt
Excerpt from Confessio Amantis; Or, Tales of the Seven Deadly Sins, by John Gower
Prologus
Torpor, ebes sensus, scola parua labor minimusque
Causant quo minimus ipse minora canam:
Qua tamen Engisti lingua canit Insula Bruti
Anglica Carmente metra iuuante loquar.
Ossibus ergo carens que conterit ossa loquelis
Absit, et interpres stet procul oro malus.
Of hem that writen ous tofore
The bokes duelle, and we therfore
Ben tawht of that was write tho:
Forthi good is that we also
In oure tyme among ous hiere
Do wryte of newe som matiere,
Essampled of these olde wyse
So that it myhte in such a wyse,
Whan we ben dede and elleswhere,
Beleve to the worldes eere 10
In tyme comende after this.
Bot for men sein, and soth it is,
That who that al of wisdom writ
It dulleth ofte a mannes wit
To him that schal it aldai rede,
For thilke cause, if that ye rede,
I wolde go the middel weie
And wryte a bok betwen the tweie,
Somwhat of lust, somewhat of lore,
That of the lasse or of the more 20
Som man mai lyke of that I wryte:
And for that fewe men endite
In oure englissh, I thenke make
A bok for Engelondes sake,
The yer sextenthe of kyng Richard.
What schal befalle hierafterward
God wot, for now upon this tyde
Men se the world on every syde
In sondry wyse so diversed,
That it welnyh stant al reversed, 30
As forto speke of tyme ago.
The cause whi it changeth so
It needeth nought to specifie,
The thing so open is at ije
That every man it mai beholde:
And natheles be daies olde,
Whan that the bokes weren levere,
Wrytinge was beloved evere
Of hem that weren vertuous;
For hier in erthe amonges ous, 40
If noman write hou that it stode,
The pris of hem that weren goode
Scholde, as who seith, a gret partie
Be lost: so for to magnifie
The worthi princes that tho were,
The bokes schewen hiere and there,
Wherof the world ensampled is;
And tho that deden thanne amis
Thurgh tirannie and crualte,
Right as thei stoden in degre, 50
So was the wrytinge of here werk.
Thus I, which am a burel clerk,
Purpose forto wryte a bok
After the world that whilom tok
Long tyme in olde daies passed:
Bot for men sein it is now lassed,
In worse plit than it was tho,
I thenke forto touche also
The world which neweth every dai,
So as I can, so as I mai. 60
Thogh I seknesse have upon honde
And longe have had, yit woll I fonde
To wryte and do my bisinesse,
That in som part, so as I gesse,
The wyse man mai ben avised.
For this prologe is so assised
That it to wisdom al belongeth:
What wysman that it underfongeth,
He schal drawe into remembrance
The fortune of this worldes chance, 70
The which noman in his persone
Mai knowe, bot the god al one.
Whan the prologe is so despended,
This bok schal afterward ben ended
Of love, which doth many a wonder
And many a wys man hath put under.
And in this wyse I thenke trete
Towardes hem that now be grete,
Betwen the vertu and the vice
Which longeth unto this office. 80
Bot for my wittes ben to smale
To tellen every man his tale,
This bok, upon amendment
To stonde at his commandement,
With whom myn herte is of accord,
I sende unto myn oghne lord,
Which of Lancastre is Henri named:
The hyhe god him hath proclamed
Ful of knyhthode and alle grace.
So woll I now this werk embrace 90
With hol trust and with hol believe;
God grante I mot it wel achieve.
Explanation
Detailed Explanation of the Prologue to Confessio Amantis by John Gower
John Gower’s Confessio Amantis (The Lover’s Confession, c. 1390) is a Middle English poem of over 33,000 lines, written in octosyllabic couplets. A contemporary of Chaucer, Gower was a major figure in late 14th-century English literature, and his work blends moral instruction, political commentary, and courtly love. The Prologue introduces the poem’s themes, Gower’s literary ambitions, and his concerns about the moral decline of his time. Below is a close reading of the excerpt, analyzing its context, themes, literary devices, and significance, with primary focus on the text itself.
1. The Latin Epigraph (Lines 1–6)
Gower opens with a six-line Latin epigraph, a common medieval practice that signals the work’s intellectual and moral seriousness. The lines translate roughly as:
"Dullness, a sluggish mind, a small school, and little labor Cause me, the least of men, to sing of lesser things. Yet in the English tongue, which the island of Brutus sings, I will speak English verses with the Muse’s help. Let the bone-crushing slanderer, who lacks bones herself, Be far away, I pray, and let the evil translator keep his distance."
Key Points:
- Humility Topos: Gower adopts the medieval convention of humilitas, downplaying his skill ("the least of men," "small school") while justifying his work. This is both a rhetorical strategy (to avoid accusations of pride) and a nod to the idea that true wisdom comes from divine inspiration.
- Defense of English: The reference to "Anglica Carmente" (English Muse) is significant. Gower writes in Middle English at a time when Latin and French were still dominant literary languages. His pride in English aligns with a growing nationalist sentiment (e.g., Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales).
- Attack on Critics: The lines "Ossibus ergo carens... malus" warn against two types of detractors:
- The slanderer ("que conterit ossa loquelis" – one who "crushes bones with words"), possibly a reference to backbiting court poets or moralists.
- The bad translator ("interpres malus"), hinting at concerns about misinterpretation (Gower later revised the Confessio to address criticisms).
This epigraph sets up Gower’s dual role: a modest clerk ("burel clerk", l. 52) yet a bold moralist writing for England’s future.
2. The Duty of Writers (Lines 7–24)
Gower transitions to Middle English, arguing for the necessity of new literature:
"Of hem that writen ous tofore / The bokes duelle, and we therfore / Ben tawht of that was write tho..."
Key Themes:
- Literary Tradition: Gower acknowledges his debt to past writers ("old wyse," l. 8) but asserts that each generation must contribute new works ("som matiere," l. 10) to preserve wisdom for posterity ("the worldes eere," l. 10).
- Balance of "Lust" and "Lore": He rejects pure didacticism ("who that al of wisdom writ / It dulleth ofte a mannes wit," ll. 12–13) and instead aims for a middle path ("somwhat of lust, somewhat of lore," l. 19). Here, "lust" means pleasure/entertainment, while "lore" means moral instruction. This reflects the medieval idea that literature should both delight and teach (prodesse et delectare).
- National Pride: Gower’s decision to write "in oure englissh" (l. 22) is deliberate. He laments that "fewe men endite [compose] in oure englissh" (l. 22), positioning his work as a patriotic act ("for Engelondes sake," l. 23).
Literary Devices:
- Alliteration: "Forthi good is that we also" (l. 7) – Reinforces the oral quality of Middle English poetry.
- Antithesis: "somwhat of lust, somewhat of lore" – Highlights the tension between entertainment and morality.
- Apologia: Gower justifies his mixed approach, anticipating criticism (a recurring theme in medieval prologues).
3. Moral Decline and the Purpose of Writing (Lines 25–51)
Gower laments the corruption of his age:
"Men se the world on every syde / In sondry wyse so diversed, / That it welnyh stant al reversed..." (ll. 27–29)
Key Themes:
- Social Critique: The world is "reversed" (l. 29) compared to "tyme ago" (l. 30). This reflects late 14th-century anxieties: the Black Death (1348–50), peasant revolts (1381), and political instability under Richard II. Gower implies that moral decay is evident to all ("The thing so open is at ije / That every man it mai beholde," ll. 33–34).
- Preservation of Virtue: Books ensure that "the pris [praise] of hem that weren goode" (l. 37) is not lost. Gower sees literature as a moral archive, recording both virtue ("worthi princes," l. 42) and vice ("tirannie and crualte," l. 48).
- Exemplarity: The past serves as a "ensample" (l. 45) for the present. This mirrors the medieval belief in exempla—moral stories from history or scripture used to teach lessons.
Literary Devices:
- Hyperbole: "welnyh stant al reversed" – Emphasizes the severity of moral decline.
- Contrast: The "vertuous" (l. 39) of the past vs. the unspecified vices of the present.
- Historical Allusion: "The yer sextenthe of kyng Richard" (l. 24) – Dates the work to 1390, grounding it in contemporary politics.
4. Gower’s Personal Mission (Lines 52–84)
Gower clarifies his dual focus: past and present, virtue and vice.
"Thus I, which am a burel clerk, / Purpose forto wryte a bok / After the world that whilom tok / Long tyme in olde daies passed..." (ll. 52–55)
Key Themes:
- The "Burel Clerk": Gower calls himself a "burel clerk" (l. 52)—a humble, secular scholar (as opposed to a cleric). This reinforces his everyman persona while claiming moral authority.
- Dual Temporality: He will write of both the past ("olde daies passed," l. 55) and the present ("the world which neweth every dai," l. 58). This reflects the Confessio’s structure: a mix of classical myths (e.g., the Tale of Narcissus) and contemporary satire.
- Love as a Moral Force: The book will culminate in a discussion of "love, which doth many a wonder" (l. 73). Love here is not just romantic but a cosmic force that shapes human behavior (both positively and negatively).
- Dedication to Henry of Lancaster: Gower sends the book to "myn oghne lord... Henri" (l. 85), likely Henry Bolingbroke (future Henry IV). This aligns Gower with the Lancastrian faction, reflecting the political tensions of Richard II’s reign.
Literary Devices:
- Metaphor: "love... hath put under" (l. 74) – Love as a conquering force.
- Invocatio: Gower calls on God ("God grante I mot it wel achieve," l. 92) to bless his work, a common medieval trope seeking divine sanction.
5. Significance of the Prologue
- Literary Innovation: Gower blends Latin tradition with vernacular ambition, helping elevate Middle English as a literary language.
- Moral Didacticism: The Confessio is framed as a guide for "the worldes chance" (l. 68), reflecting the medieval belief in literature as a tool for ethical instruction.
- Political Commentary: The dedication to Henry of Lancaster and the critique of a "reversed" world hint at Gower’s engagement with the power struggles of Richard II’s reign.
- Authorial Persona: Gower presents himself as a modest but diligent clerk, a contrast to Chaucer’s more ironic narrator in The Canterbury Tales. This persona underscores his serious moral purpose.
Conclusion: The Prologue as a Manifesto
The Prologue to Confessio Amantis is more than an introduction—it is a literary manifesto. Gower:
- Defends the use of English for serious moral literature.
- Positions himself as a bridge between past and present, entertainment and instruction.
- Critiques contemporary society while offering his work as a corrective.
- Aligns his poetic mission with political and religious authority (via Henry of Lancaster and God).
His blend of humility and ambition, tradition and innovation, makes the Prologue a key text in understanding late medieval English literature’s transition from Latin/French dominance to a robust vernacular tradition. The Confessio itself—with its tales of the Seven Deadly Sins—will expand on these themes, using narrative to explore the tensions between love, virtue, and human frailty.