Widower, from the weakening of the ending _-a_ in Old English to
_-e_ in Middle English. The older forms, _widuwa_--_widuwe_, became
identical, and a new masculine ending was therefore added to
distinguish the masculine from the feminine (compare Middle English
_widuer_--_widewe_).


Personification.


34. Just as abstract ideas are personified (Sec. 16), material
objects may be spoken of like gender nouns; for example,--

"Now, where the swift _Rhone_ cleaves _his_ way."--BYRON.

The _Sun_ now rose upon the right:
Out of the sea came _he_.
--COLERIDGE.

And haply the _Queen Moon_ is on _her_ throne,
Clustered around by all her starry Fays.
--KEATS,

_Britannia_ needs no bulwarks,
No towers along the steep;
_Her_ march is o'er the mountain waves,
_Her_ home is on the deep.
--CAMPBELL

This is not exclusively a poetic use. In ordinary speech