Notes on Gower

Author/Editor
Hamilton, George L

Title
Notes on Gower

Published
Hamilton, George L. "Notes on Gower." Modern Language Notes 19.2 (1904), pp. 51-52.

Review
Hamilton finds a number of parallels between the work of Gower and the Exempla of Jacques de Vitry. Gower describes the Peacock as a bird who exemplifies Stealth (CA 5.6498-6500) as well as Pride (MO 23449-60). Jacques de Vitry uses the same imagery of the Peacock who hides its "turpes pedes" under its "pulchras pennas" and is known for its "passum latronis." Likewise the Middle English Gesta Romanorum employs the expression "for the pecok goth like a thef." Other parallels with Jacques de Vitry include the story of Nero in Hell (MO 24469-80), the tale of "the Travelers and the Angel" in Book 2 of the CA, and the story of Jerome's chastisement for being a Ciceronian (MO 14670-76). The latter exemplum in Jacques de Vitry also introduces the story of Sella, from which Gower borrows a phrase of a distich in VC 4.1214. [CvD]

Date
1904

Gower Subjects
Sources, Analogues, and Literary Relations
Vox Clamantis
Confessio Amantis
Mirour de l'Omme (Speculum Meditantis)