CONFESSIO AMANTIS BY JOHN GOWER: COHERENCE IN DIVERSITY
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Abstract
The present article studies one of the crucial literary works in medieval English literature “Confessio Amantis” by John Gower who was a master in blending literary traditions. The article aims at the analysis of means to create a coherent work within the XIVth story-collection tradition. Traditional means include combination of serious and playful tones as well as the use of devices to make a multiple author voice. A conclusion is made that the poet develops the frame using a detailed description of its main character and introducing a complex allegory to unite various plots, subjects and genres. As for genre synthesis John Gower skilfully combines religious and secular (literary) sources. Stylistic unity of the work under consideration reflects its notional co-herence that is based on the poet’s design to balance social and individual interests, to depict the diversity of human life the basis for which are peace and love understood in the wide sense.
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References
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