The Vision and Creed of Piers Ploughman, Volume 1 by William Langland

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Author Langland, William, 1330?-1400?
Editor Wright, Thomas, 1810-1877
Title The Vision and Creed of Piers Ploughman, Volume 1
Note Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piers_Plowman
Note Reading ease score: 69.8 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
Credits Produced by Mark C. Orton, Keith Edkins and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
file was produced from images generously made available
by The Internet Archive)
Summary "The Vision and Creed of Piers Ploughman, Volume 1" by William Langland is a seminal poem written in the 14th century. This allegorical work explores themes of social justice, morality, and the human condition through a sequence of vivid dreams experienced by the protagonist, a ploughman named Piers. The text serves as a critical reflection on the socio-political landscape of medieval England, particularly regarding the corruption within the church and the plight of the common people. At the start of the poem, the dreamer falls asleep by the Malvern Hills and enters a vision of a world filled with various characters representing different aspects of society. He observes the struggles of the rich and poor, the vices of the clergy, and the societal chaos stemming from pride, greed, and hypocrisy. A lady, symbolizing Holy Church, appears to guide him, imparting spiritual wisdom and emphasizing the need for truth and virtuous living. Piers Ploughman, the central figure, emerges as a representative of the righteous who strives for the betterment of society, setting the stage for an exploration of truth, justice, and the moral responsibilities of individuals within their communities. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class PR: Language and Literatures: English literature
Subject Christian pilgrims and pilgrimages -- Poetry
Category Text
EBook-No. 43660
Release Date
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
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