Goddess Natura in Medieval Literature by George D Economou

Goddess Natura in Medieval Literature by George D Economou

The concept of the goddess Natura–one of the most significant allegorical figures of medieval Latin and vernacular poetry–drew upon many strands of classical and Christian thought, from Plato's Timaeus to Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy. In what is perhaps the best history of the goddess Natura, George Economou provides a full-length study of her philosophical background and the literary traditions that contributed to her image.

Economou's work focuses on the renaissance of the twelfth century, when a new kind of allegory appeared that celebrated and explored the nature of the cosmos. He analyzes the central role that Natura played in the writings of Bernard Silvestris, Jean de Meun, Alain de Lille, and Geoffrey Chaucer. This edition features a new introduction by the author and an updated bibliography.

“Economou’s study remains unsurpassed as a survey and analysis of the Christian intellectual, theological, and poetic traditions that formulated Nature as a deity who is also the mediator of the Divine purposeThe Goddess Natura in Medieval Literature is a work of solidly grounded intellectual history and of real literary sensitivity.” —Robert W. Hanning, Columbia University

“Economou’s The Goddess Natura in Medieval Literature is one of the little classics of medieval literary scholarship, ranking with works by C. S. Lewis and E. K. Rand.” —John Ganim, University of California, Riverside

“In this well-shaped book [Economu] traces the evolution of the concept of nature from its Aristotelian beginnings to its incarnation as the goddess Natura in Medieval literature. What emerges is a motif study which is both interesting and useful. . . . I heartily recommend the book as a handsome, well-written and useful work to anyone interested in the literature of the Middle Ages.” —Yearbook of Comparative and General Literature

George D. Economou is professor emeritus of English at the University of Oklahoma. He is the author and translator of numerous books and collections of poetry.