Sciences and the self in medieval poetry : Alan of Lille's Anticlaudianus and John Gower's Confessio amantis / James Simpson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Simpson, James, 1954-

Contributor:

Cambridge University Press.

Series:

Cambridge studies in medieval literature ; 25.

Cambridge studies in medieval literature ; 25

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Alanus, de Insulis, -1202. Anticlaudianus.

Alanus.

Gower, John, 1325?-1408. Confessio amantis.

Gower, John.

Comparative literature--Latin (Medieval and modern) and English.

Comparative literature.

Comparative literature--English and Latin (Medieval and modern).

Epic poetry, Latin (Medieval and modern)--History and criticism.

Epic poetry, Latin (Medieval and modern).

Poetry, Medieval--History and criticism.

Poetry, Medieval.

Literature and science--Europe--History.

Literature and science.

Poetry, Medieval--Classical influences.

Intellectual life.

History.

Europe--Intellectual life--To 1500.

Europe.

Philosophy, Medieval, in literature.

Self in literature.

Love in literature.

Humanists.

Literature, Medieval--history.

Poetry as Topic--history.

Ego--in literature.

Medical Subjects:

Literature, Medieval--history.

Poetry as Topic--history.

Ego--in literature.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xii, 321 pages.)

Place of Publication:

Cambridge [England] ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1995.

System Details:

text file

Summary:

This study examines two great poems of the later medieval period, the Latin philosophical epic, Alan of Lille's Anticlaudianus (1181-3), and John Gower's English poem, the Confessio Amantis (1390-3). James Simpson locates these works in a cultural context dominated by two kinds of literary humanism, in which the concept of self is centered in the intellect and the imagination respectively, and shows the very different modes of thought that lie behind their conceptions of selfhood and education.

Contents:

1. Introduction

2. The outer form of the Anticlaudianus

3. A preposterous interpretation of the Anticlaudianus

4. Alan's philosopher-king

5. Ovidian disunity in Gower's Confessio amantis

6. Genius's psychological information in Book III

7. The primacy of politics in the Confessio amantis

8. Poetics

9. Conclusion: varieties of humanist politics.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 300-314) and index.

Electronic reproduction. Cambridge Available via World Wide Web.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780511518782

0511518781

Publisher Number:

99984989293

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.