Stephen Hawes facts for kids
Stephen Hawes (died 1523) was an English poet who lived during the time of the Tudor kings and queens. He was quite popular in his day, but not many people know about him now.
Life of a Poet
Stephen Hawes was likely born around 1474 in a place called Suffolk, where his family name was common. He went to Oxford University for his education. After his studies, he traveled around England, Scotland, and France.
When he returned, his many skills, especially his talent for poetry, helped him get a job at the royal court. He worked for King Henry VII as a "Groom of the Chamber" starting in 1502. This meant he was a personal attendant to the king.
Hawes loved poetry and knew many English poems by heart. He especially admired the poet John Lydgate, whom he called his teacher. Stephen Hawes was still alive in 1521, as records show he was paid for a play he wrote for King Henry VIII. He passed away sometime before 1530.
Some people, like the writer C.S. Lewis, thought that Hawes's poetry wasn't always perfect. They felt he had good ideas but sometimes struggled to express them clearly. However, others found many beautiful and well-written parts in his poems.
A novelist named Hilda Lamb even made Stephen Hawes a character in her 1958 book, "The Willing Heart." In the story, she imagined him as a secret son of King Richard III. But it's important to remember that this is just a fictional idea and not supported by any historical facts.
His Writings
Stephen Hawes's most important work is a long poem called The Passetyme of Pleasure. It was first printed in 1509, but he finished writing it three years earlier. This poem was printed several times, showing how popular it was.
The Passetyme of Pleasure is an allegorical poem. This means it uses characters and events to represent deeper ideas, like a hidden message. The poem tells the story of a knight named Graunde Amour (which means "Great Love"). It follows his journey through life, his education, and his search for La Bel Pucel (meaning "The Beautiful Maiden").
In the poem, Graunde Amour visits different "Towers" to learn various subjects like grammar, logic, rhetoric, and arithmetic. He also learns about music and geometry. After many adventures and lessons, he finally reaches the castle of La Bel Pucel.
The story doesn't end with their happy marriage. It continues to show how Age comes with its own challenges. The poem finishes with Graunde Amour's death and how his name is remembered among famous knights. This imaginative poem was widely read and even influenced another famous English poet, Edmund Spenser.
Hawes also wrote other poems, including The Conversyon of Swerers (1509), which was about people who swore too much, and A Joyfidi Medytenon to all Englonde, a poem written for a coronation in 1509. He wanted his poetry to bring back the style of older medieval stories and allegories that he admired.
