#piersplowman

[paradiselostix]

«‘... it wasn't all the Christian learning in the world that was able to snatch me from the jaws of Hell; no, it was simply love, honest integrity, and the justice of my judgements.’» (from Passus XI, trans. A. V. C. Schmidt) ~ #Finished: Piers Plowman by #WilliamLangland Rating: 5/10 ~ One should not expect much from a medieval literary work. But when I compare Piers Plowman with other medieval literary works, not to mention ancient works, I must say that it is DULL and unoriginal. Besides lots of quotations from the Bible or other Christian writings, it is almost full of various saintly personifications appearing in the dream visions, instructing Will, the narrator, in important moral and Christian teachings, on what "Do-well" is, how to be a good person and earn salvation from Heaven and warning about the corruption and greed of the clergy and the papacy. However, there were moments I enjoyed, such as the Prologue, which reflects the social structure at the time; most of seven deadly sins begging in a stupor for salvation in Passus V; Trajan's teachings on the importance of love, justice and living in truth in Passus XI; the Passion of Jesus and the Harrowing of Hell in Passus XVIII. There were some remarkable personifications/characters like Lady Meed, Dame Study, Doctor of Divinity, Haukin as well as Will, Piers, Conscience, Trajan the Roman Emperor, Scripture, and Jesus Christ, often represented as a knight. Anyway, I was so bored from time to time while reading it that I actually wanted to quit reading a book after a very long time. Maybe I would've enjoyed it more if I had read a poetic version similar to the original, it felt like there was something imperfect about this rendering into modern English prose. ~ «‘Love them, don't blame them; leave it to God to be their judge and decide if it's punishment they need, even when they are plainly guilty of some crime. "Vengeance is mine," says the Lord, "and I shall repay."» (from Passus VI) ~ #PiersPlowman #PiersThePloughman #Piers #Will #JesusChrist #Jesus #HarrowingOfHell #SevenDeadlySins #ThePassion #dreamvision #middleages #langland #MedievalLiterature #book #books #bookstagram #literature #bibliophile https://www.instagram.com/p/BycOiTEAYkz/?igshid=vd906s3af0yk

[paradiselostix]

«One summer time, when the sun was mild, I dressed myself in sheepskin clothing, the habit of a hermit of unholy life, and wandered abroad in this world, listening out for its strange and wonderful events...» (from Prologue, trans. A. V. C. Schmidt) ~ #CurrentlyReading: Piers Plowman by #WilliamLangland. This one is originally a long alliterative poem from Medieval England, therefore written in Middle English. And my edition is a rendering into contemporary English prose. Piers Plowman is a Christian allegory full of interesting, personified abstract concepts, such as Truth, Reason, Do-Well, and consists of dream visions, a literary device characteristically used in medieval Europe. Langland was a contemporary of Chaucer, but I don't think the former was as original as the latter. Langland's work is full of quotations from the Bible, the works of various theologians and the other Holy writings. Piers Plowman is also full of many moral instructions, which I found spiritually uplifting; however, I must admit it is a boring book. I haven't finished it yet, but, from what I have read so far, I would not recommend it unless you are interested in medieval Christian works. ~ «‘... There's no vice in the world so black that it cannot be extinguished by his goodness.’» (from Passus V, trans. A. V. C. Schmidt) ~ #PiersPlowman #PiersThePloughman #TheVisionOfPiersPlowman #Piers #Will #DoWell #DoBetter #DoBest #dreamvision #medieval #middleages #langland #MedievalLiterature #book #books #bookstagram #bibliophile #novel #currentread #reading #read #instabook #literature #bookclub #bookworm #booktube #classics #oxfordworldsclassics https://www.instagram.com/p/ByRo9AaAgSl/?igshid=1cy6gs9zl74wg

[oldenglishpoetry]

Volume I of Skeat's seminal release of Versions A, B, and C of Piers Plowman (or Ploughman). #piersplowman #piersploughman #williamlangland #middleenglish #middleenglishlit #alliterative #alliterativemeter #allitiverativepoetry #medieval #allegory #bookstagram #bookstagrammer Have kept a sharp eye out for Vol II containing Richard the Redeless. (at Nashville, Tennessee) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs8z3IqgS9G/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=vtjhtbpdgkmf

[meander1995]

Late, but I've been reading this for the past week. And it's been a bit of a doozy. Started out kinda "eh," but I sorta grew to like it the further I got in. With this, the unit (in my "Early English Writers" class) consisting of this and Margery Kempe is over. The next (and final) unit is on Arthurian Legend. #middleenglishliterature #piersplowman #willamlangland (at University of Evansville)