Langland, Piers Plowman (C-text)

thinking about version of the Church that emerges from Piers Plowman in secondary literature, Wycliffism has status -- stand-in for modern liberalism; brings modern scholars closer to what they wished medieval people believed

observing dis/continuities with Langland's own theology

interested in listening to versions of Wycliff that get spread outside of Oxford

some critics think about Langland as uneducated, as a "clever grammar school boy" -- but he engages with 14th century theology very seriously

question of the Reformation -- how does Langland fit into Eamon's version of the Middle Ages? what does this say about Duffy's construction of the late medieval Church?

restless poem; seems opaque, but great deal of dialectical control

Prologue

"I've become a problem to myself" -- famous lines from the Confessions

models of the Middle Ages as static and hierarchical; this prologue doesn't know them

"Conscience in the Middle Ages" -- is Piers Plowman's "Conscience" Thomistic?

Andrew Galloway, commentary on Piers Plowman

allegorical figures -- high stylistic of Kynde Wit clashes with final lines, full of ordinary life

"fragmentation of the forms of inquiry"; Will is given maps for finding his way -- give the possibility of a unified inquiry; how do we go on if the ground we're put on doesn't match the maps we're given?

when reason can't control us, we have anarchy; we *need* the cat -- all the forces of reform swallowed up in image of human beings who have become mice and rats

put him to pride -- put him to the plow -- concretized images

friars: mobile figures; answerable to papacy, not bishops

Structure

PROLOGUE

Will, dressed as a sheep -- falls asleep

DREAM

sees tower of Truth to the east, valley of Death to the West, field full of folk between

Conscience comes to accuse them (Pr.95)

Kynde Wit speaks to the king and commons (Pr.147)

Conscience speaks to the clergy and king (Pr.151)

Conscience and king go to court

crowd of rats come to hold council about cat (Pr.165)

rat of renown suggests putting a bell around the cat's neck (Pr.176)

crowd of rats applaud his plan (Pr.190)

mouse steps forward, suggests one cat or another will always bother them; better to suffer in silence; rats could never rule themselves (Pr.196)

dreamer doesn't know how to interpret this vision; goes on to see diverse people

PASSUS II

Holy Church indicates people, says the only heaven they think of is here (I.5)

dreamer asks what it means (I.11)

Holy Church discusses tower of Truth (I.12)

dreamer asks to whom the world's treasure belongs (I.41)

Holy Church answers "Reddite Cesari" (I.44)

dreamer asks what the deep, dark dale means (I.55)

Holy Church answer it's the Castle of Care; evil lives there (I.57)

dreamer asks who she is (I.71)

Holy Church says I am Holy Church (I.72)

dreamer falls to knees, begs grace

dreamer asks how to save his soul (I.80)

Holy Church answers when all treasures have been tested, truth is the best (I.81)

dreamer asks why devil wants to be on the north, instead of the east (I.I.112)

Holy Church answers hell is wherever the devil is (I.114)

dreamer asks for "kynde knowying" (I.137)

Holy Church says he's a dummy, didn't learn enough Latin; discusses "kind knowynge" (I.139)

Holy Church starts to leave

PASSUS II

dreams kneels before her, begs for grace (II.1)

dreamer begs her to stay (II.1)

Holy Church indicates Falsehood and Favel to the left (II.5)

dreamer looks to the left; sees Meed

dreamer asks Holy Church who this is (II.18)

Holy Church answers it's Meed, describes Meed's Marriage (II.19)

Holy Church leaves (II.53)

dreamer sees Meed's marriage (II.54)

Liar leaps forth

Liar says Guile gave a charter to False and Meed (II.69)

Civil and Simony look over charter (II.72)

Simony says Meed is married more for her riches than her high birth (II.75)

Wrong steps forward as witness (II.109)

several craftsman, a beadle and a pardoner step forth, seal the deed (II.110)

Theology gets angry (II.116)

Theology says to Simony that Meed is legitimate, the daughter of Amends and Favel; warns about wedding (II.117)

Civil agrees (II.155)

Simony doesn't agree (II.155)

Favel comes with florins, orders Guile to give out the gold (II.157)

everyone thanks Favel, pledge to help him marry Meed to False (II.162)

Favel and False are pleased

everyone goes to Westminster; allegories ride reeves and jurors (II.173)

Civil says he and Simony will ride adulterous rich men (II.183)

Truthful sees them riding, says nothing; passes them to go to king's court and warn Conscience (II.200)

Conscience tells the king he wants to catch False and Favel and Liar (II.204)

Conscience commands constable to arrest False, behead Guile, bring Meed in (II.211)

Dread hears, goes to tell False he'd better flee (II.217)

False flees to friars (II.220)

Guile flees for his life; merchants meet him and take him in (II.221)

Liar leaps away; pardoners take him in (II.225)

Simony and Civil went to Rome to appeal to pope (II.243)

Conscience accuses them to the king (II.245)

Conscience says Holy Church may be damaged beyond repair if nothing is done (II.246)

all flee except Meed (II.250)

PASSUS III

Meed brough before King (III.2)

King tells clerk to look after Meed, that he'll examine her (III.5)

Clerk brings Meed to chamber (III.9)

mirth and minstrelsy amuse Meed (III.12)

judges try to appear Meed not to be sad, they'll help (III.17)

Meed thanks them, offers them gifts (III.21)

clerics comfort Meed (III.25)

Meed promises them rewards (III.30)

confessor offers to absolve her (III.38)

Meed kneels before him, confessees (III.45)

confessor absolves her (III.50)

confessor tells her they'll have her name engraved on a window (III.51)

Meed replies (III.55)