BACK
John Gower John Gower was born around 1330, into a wealthy family in Yorkshire. Although it is not certain it is been said he was educated in law. Gower's first work was Mirour de l'Omme (i.e. Mirror of Man) (written in 1376-79), a french poem about man and the effect of sin on the world. Gower later changed the title Speculum Meditantis to fit with the titles of his other later works. Around 1377, Gower began work on Vox Clamantis (i.e. The Voice of One Crying), an essay in Latin; much like the Speculum Meditantis, it speaks of sinfulness, and the corruption of society. It also consists of provides a contemporary view of the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. Gower's works were praised by his peers. In 1385, Gower's good friend, Geoffrey Chaucer, dedicated the Troilus and Criseyde to him. In 1386, Gower began work on his best known work The Confessio Amantis (i.e. Lover's Confession). Unlike his previous works, Gower wrote the Confessio in English at the request of Richard II. The Confessio, completed around 1390, is an important contribution to English literature. Gower revised Confessio Amantis in 1393, replacing the praise of King Richard II with a dedication to Henry of Lancaster. In return, Henry presented Gower with an ornamented collar. Next, Gower composed a series of Latin poems, as well as a sequence of French ballads. In 1397, Gower married Agnes Groundolf, his second wife. By this time Gower was nearly blind, so the marriage may have been one of convenience. In 1399, Gower composed a sequel to Vox Clamantis, The Cronica Tripertita (i.e. Tripartite Chronicle), in which he condemned the vices of King Richard II and his court. At this time, Gower also wrote Latin verses in praise of the new King, as well as his last English work, "To King Henry, in Praise of Peace". In 1400, Gower dedicated and presented his French work Cinkante Balades (Fifty Ballads), which some attribute to his younger days, to King Henry. Old and blind, John Gower died in 1408, leaving a considerable estate.