John Gower, the Forgotten Medieval Poet
New Generation Thinker Seb Falk explores, with an audience at the York Festival of Ideas, the trilingual lawyer poet whose response to political upheaval has lessons for our times.
The lawyer turned poet whose response to political upheaval has lessons for our time - explored by New Generation Thinker Seb Falk with an audience at the York Festival of Ideas
The 14th century's most eloquent pessimist, John Gower has forever been overshadowed by his funnier friend Chaucer. Yet his trilingual poetry is truly encyclopedic, mixing social commentary, romance and even science. Writing 'somewhat of lust, somewhat of lore', Gower's response to political upheaval was to 'shoot my arrows at the world'. Whether you want to be cured of lovesickness or learn the secrets of alchemy, John Gower has something to tell you.
New Generation Thinkers is a scheme run by the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to select ten academics each year who can turn their research into radio.
Producer: Jacqueline Smith.
Last on
Broadcasts
- Thu 28 Jun 2018 22:45Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
- Thu 10 Oct 2019 22:45Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
Death in Trieste
A 1760s murder still informs ideas about aesthetics, a certain sort of sex, and death.
Watch: My Deaf World
Five compelling experiences of what it is like to be deaf in 21st-century Britain.
The Book that Changed Me
Five figures from the arts and science introduce books that changed their lives and work.
Download The Essay
Download all the episodes from the series and listen at your leisure.
Podcast
-
![]()
The Essay
Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
