Oedipus, Apollonius, and Richard II: Sex and Politics in Book 8 of John Gower’s Confessio Amantis

Abstract

Watt offers a reading of of Tyre informed by psychoanalysis, but rather rather than simply reading events in tale according a Freudian script, she also uses a comparison other versions of story in order demonstrate ways in which Gower consciously reshaped narrative. mixture of methodologies a bit dizzying. Statements such as this one, in a sense Amans guilty of incest in so far as he seems engaged in an oedipal struggle own incestuous parents, Venus and Cupid, Queen and King of Love (182), which offered without any further support, stand alongside careful comparison of texts, for instance in Watt's demonstration that tale of Apollonius Gower places much less emphasis on lineage and genealogy than any of analogues (183-84). juxtaposition of two different sorts of arguments evidently presumes that Gower himself was as conscious of psychoanalytical dimensions of text as Watt is. Watt's purpose use conclusions that she on depiction of characters in assessing way in which Gower intended offer instruction through tale Richard II. The political replaces genealogical in story, she asserts; there exists a connection between poem's construction of gender and and its political concerns and historical contexts (185). But where Maria Bullon-Fernandez, making a similar claim, sees connection between Antiochus' incest and Richard's tyrannical rule, Watt claims that Gower also offers criticism of Richard through Apollonius, who in crime of incest and tainted by homosexuality and who is culpable of misusing knowledge and (185). making her argument, she a great many specific observations make about tale and about poem, only some of which can noted here. impenetrability of riddle in version, she observes, is in itself a clue its meaning, for in its grammatical indeterminacy it itself concerned something that unethical and corrupt (187). But while with its references devouring of mother's flesh, [Gower's version of riddle] expresses speaker's repressed devour or marry/to sleep own (188), mother are more active in tale, even in their absence, than in other versions of story, beginning Antiochus' wife. daughters are imperiled not by sexual incontinence of their fathers but by the absence or cruelty of maternal figures (189). In tale, then, role of women as wives and mothers crucial proper functioning of household (191). Antiochus' riddle also expresses repressed for father, and just as infantile for mother displaced onto so fixation of father reemerges in a search for son (192). riddle thus draws our attention homosociality, or what Luce Iragaray calls hom(m)o-sexuality, of patriarchal society (ibid.). Thus Antiochus allows Apollonius escape, but as Apollonius continues flee after he already safe, he reveals that he himself has become obsessed father (194). As Freud suggested, such father-fixations . . . resulted in feminization of son, as manifested by Apollonius' mastery of rhetoric, traditionally associated femininity and effeminacy, by failure kill Antiochus, and by the passive role he plays in relationship future (194-95). Apollonius also becomes implicated in Antiochus' crime by this failure reveal it, and though he no conscious incestuous for own depiction of reunion Thaise heightens resemblance between Apollonius and Antiochus. depicting female characters, Gower uses story to examine and attempt unravel female and desire (199). conclusion reestablishes normative male control of female desire, but along way sufferings of Thaise and her mother are an extension of those of Antiochus' and their resurrections represent her posthumous redemption (202). That Gower intended tale as a comment on Richard II indicated by political purposes manifest throughout CA and by historical reports of Richard's disturbed personality, a portrait that to some extent confirmed by complex representations of kingship in this tale (203), which reveal his cynicism about Richard II's conduct and rule (205). Antiochus's behavior, of course, be intended as a warning Richard II against arrogant behavior and arbitrary rule (205). The implicit praise of Artestrathes's wife, moreover, might read as a celebration of mediatory role of Anne of Bohemia (205-6), while the resurrection of Apollonius's wife and daughter, representing king's subjects and country, may also mark (albeit temporary) restoration of power of council's curb king's (206), though the recontainment of female sexuality suggests that Gower's political vision ultimately a conservative one and he does not advocate overthrow of king (206-7). Apollonius a figure for king both in flaws and in fact that he does not learn very much during course of tale. Amans too fails learn, but unlike Apollonius, he does not see fulfillment of desires either. . . . final analysis, Amans's misdirected reflects king's unchecked will and it perhaps failure in love which looks most like a prognostication of usurpation of Richard II's throne. At same time, decision, not only sign own narrative, but identify himself Amans, and thus implicitly Richard, indicate personal frustration and sense of failure about role, not as poet of love, but as political advisor (207-8). [PN. Copyright John Gower Society. JGN 22.1]