Literary notes about COWL (AI summary)
The term "cowl" appears in literature as both a literal and symbolic head covering that conveys mystery, authority, and transformation. In many works, it denotes the traditional garb of monks or friars, suggesting solemnity and religious dedication, as seen with Father Peter donning his cowl ([1]) or Dominican friars being described in their coarse, heavy robes and cowls ([2]). Meanwhile, authors also employ the cowl to evoke an air of anonymity, concealment, or even foreboding—as when a priest’s face is shadowed beneath his cowl in gothic settings ([3], [4]), or it is used metaphorically to represent dark, unknowable forces, like Death’s cowl cloaking the night ([5]). Additionally, the cowl is used in playful, dramatic, and even satirical contexts, whether in adventurous escapades or witty banter involving its removal to reveal a hidden identity ([6], [7]). This varied use highlights the cowl’s rich potential as a literary symbol that transcends its practical origins.
- It was Father Peter in his cowl, but with spurred boots.
— from Peter the Priest by Mór Jókai - I speak of the Dominican friars--men who wear a coarse, heavy brown robe and a cowl, in this hot climate, and go barefoot.
— from The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain - The priest appeared to cast his eyes around the dungeon from beneath his cowl.
— from Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo - The priest threw back his cowl; she looked.
— from Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo - Beyond our own it stretched along the way, The darkness of Death's cowl, more deep than night.
— from Perpetual Light : a memorial by William Rose Benét - “It is that of your trusty slave and jester,” answered Wamba, throwing back his cowl.
— from Ivanhoe: A Romance by Walter Scott - "Who art thou, mad priest?" said the King in a serious voice, albeit he smiled beneath his cowl.
— from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle
