John Gower's masterpiece Confessio Amantis is a multi-layered ethical criticism of his society. Within the frame of another tale, he explains why he believes the government, church, and people of his day are corrupt and in need of a cleansing. The protagonist, Amans, is a miserable lover who wishes to die rather than beat the pain of his unrequited love. After summoning Venus and Cupid to help him, he is sentenced by Venus to confess his sins to Genius. Genius leads Amans through the seven deadly sins, forcing him to confess how he has committed each of those sins. In the meantime, Genius tells story after story, attempting to enlighten Amans as to the true nature of his failures. After completing the confession, Amans is absolved by Venus. His lovesickness is cured at last.
With a healthy does of judgement, Gower examines the society around him. He sees the corruption of the people and their refusal to admit their failures. In response, he writes this epic eight volume story designed to convict its readers. He's condemning people, sure, but he's also pointing them toward absolution. In a religious tone, he gives an epic lecture on ethics. Gower clearly feels compelled to point out the deficiencies in his society in order to push people toward better lives and healthier mindsets. He's telling them to take responsibility for their actions, promising that they will feel better as soon as they do.
Gower, in the voice of Genius, does not rely solely upon his own authority to convict. In fact, he writes from a humble perspective throughout his book. He references great literary works repeatedly, retelling the stories to provide evidence for his claims. These stories include epics like the Bible and Ovid's Metamorphoses. At only one place does he rely upon his own judgement to convict people, and it's the place where critics have long disagreed with Gower. After the sixth sin, Gower departs from the main narrative in order to pursue the tangent of ethical leadership or wisdom. He openly presents his own condemnation of Britain's monarchy, without presenting ethical discourses of other, previously accepted authors.
