In Our Time Piers Plowman
Oct 29, 2020
Laura Ashe, a Professor of English Literature at Oxford, Lawrence Warner from King's College London, and Alistair Bennett from Royal Holloway delve into William Langland's 'Piers Plowman.' They explore themes of doubt and salvation in a post-Black Death society, unveiling the poem's rich allegorical imagery and its critique of social hierarchies. The guests also discuss its moral complexities and resonance with modern dilemmas, connecting the dream-vision format to contemporary cinema and the ongoing quest for truth.
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Tumultuous Times
- The Black Death caused labor shortages and social upheaval, leading to government interventions like the Statute of Laborers.
- This tumultuous period saw the rise of English in official settings and the emergence of figures like John Wycliffe, challenging established norms.
Will's Dream
- Piers Plowman is an allegorical dream vision poem about Will's search for salvation.
- He encounters various characters and personifications, including Piers, who guides him but also embodies contradictions.
The Enigmatic Author
- Little is known about William Langland, the poem's author, beyond inferences from the poem itself.
- Some scholars believe he was a well-off parish priest, familiar with Latin and French, but not a university graduate.