Autore: Stephen Hawes

Stephen Hawes was an English poet during the late-15th and early-16th centuries, recognized mainly for his contribution to the allegorical style of poetry that was prevalent in the medieval period. Though the exact dates of his birth and death are not precisely known, it is commonly believed he flourished during the reign of King Henry VII. Hawes earned his reputation as a scholarly poet with his elaborate and moralistic work, “The Example of Vertu, ” which encapsulates his didactic and allegorical approach to literature. This narrative poem illustrates the life journey of a knight who personifies Virtue and through his adventures confronts various vices and worldly challenges. The text, rich in chivalric symbolism, serves as a guide for the moral education of its readers, reflecting the societal values of his time. Hawes”s literary output is reflective of a transition period in English literature, where the medieval tradition began to give way to Renaissance humanism. His works exhibit a blend of religious and courtly themes, melding piety with the culture of courtly love and knighthood, echoing the style of earlier writers like Geoffrey Chaucer and John Lydgate, while also prefiguring the moral literature that would become prominent in the Elizabethan era.