What do you think?
Rate this book
[(Piers Plowman: A New Translation of the B-text)] [ By (author) William Langland, Translated by A. V. C. Schmidt ] [April, 2009]
This is a new annotated translation of the B-text, Langland's own extensive revision of his original text. One of the greatest poems of the English Middle Ages, Piers Plowman remains of enduring interest for its vivid picture of the whole life of medieval society, its deeply imaginative religious vision, and its passionate concern to see justice and truth prevail in our world.About the For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1377
9 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
About the author
William Langland
263 books29 followersWilliam Langland, (born c. 1330—died c. 1400), presumed author of one of the greatest examples of Middle English alliterative poetry, generally known as Piers Plowman, an allegorical work with a complex variety of religious themes.
One of the major achievements of Piers Plowman is that it translates the language and conceptions of the cloister into symbols and images that could be understood by the layman. In general, the language of the poem is simple and colloquial, but some of the author’s imagery is powerful and direct.
Little is known of Langland’s life: he is thought to have been born somewhere in the region of the Malvern Hills, in Worcestershire, and if he is to be identified with the “dreamer” of the poem, he may have been educated at the Benedictine school in Great Malvern. References in the poem suggest that he knew London and Westminster as well as Shropshire, and he may have been a cleric in minor orders in London.
Langland clearly had a deep knowledge of medieval theology and was fully committed to all the implications of Christian doctrine. He was interested in the asceticism of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, and his comments on the defects of churchmen and the religious in his day are nonetheless concomitant with his orthodoxy.
(http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...)
One of the major achievements of Piers Plowman is that it translates the language and conceptions of the cloister into symbols and images that could be understood by the layman. In general, the language of the poem is simple and colloquial, but some of the author’s imagery is powerful and direct.
Little is known of Langland’s life: he is thought to have been born somewhere in the region of the Malvern Hills, in Worcestershire, and if he is to be identified with the “dreamer” of the poem, he may have been educated at the Benedictine school in Great Malvern. References in the poem suggest that he knew London and Westminster as well as Shropshire, and he may have been a cleric in minor orders in London.
Langland clearly had a deep knowledge of medieval theology and was fully committed to all the implications of Christian doctrine. He was interested in the asceticism of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, and his comments on the defects of churchmen and the religious in his day are nonetheless concomitant with his orthodoxy.
(http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 23, 2023
On fumblingly trying to explain this text to my wife, she said, "Oh, it's like Pilgrim's Progress?" And this is certainly the easiest way to explain it: Pilgrim's Progress's earnest, confusing, father.
It's an allegory, so the tie with Bunyan is right, but it's a dream vision (like Dante) and hence has a lot of shifting and sometimes difficult symbolism, and is also kind of rambling and chaotic (very unlike Dante). I don't think I can give a reliable summary of the plot, unless it is "A guy meets a lot of allegorical abstractions, and they all give him advice," but this might be selling the text short. Though it has no definite plot, it is at times earthy, at times sublime, and at all times radically interested in how the transcendent values of Christianity ought to work in England's green and pleasant land.
There's something about old piety, too, which is powerfully stirring:
But I am the lord of life, and my drink is love. To obtain that drink I underwent death today. So fierce was my battle for the sake of man's soul that even now I am still feeling thirsty. There is no drink that can drown my dryness, none that can ever slake my thirst; not till the time of vintage comes in the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I shall drink wine freshly pressed from fully ripened grapes-- the resurrection of the dead.
It's an allegory, so the tie with Bunyan is right, but it's a dream vision (like Dante) and hence has a lot of shifting and sometimes difficult symbolism, and is also kind of rambling and chaotic (very unlike Dante). I don't think I can give a reliable summary of the plot, unless it is "A guy meets a lot of allegorical abstractions, and they all give him advice," but this might be selling the text short. Though it has no definite plot, it is at times earthy, at times sublime, and at all times radically interested in how the transcendent values of Christianity ought to work in England's green and pleasant land.
There's something about old piety, too, which is powerfully stirring:
But I am the lord of life, and my drink is love. To obtain that drink I underwent death today. So fierce was my battle for the sake of man's soul that even now I am still feeling thirsty. There is no drink that can drown my dryness, none that can ever slake my thirst; not till the time of vintage comes in the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I shall drink wine freshly pressed from fully ripened grapes-- the resurrection of the dead.
Read
September 9, 2019I read Piers Plowman, you guys!
August 15, 2024
Piers Plowman is pretty cra-cra but also pretty cool in a lot of places. In my effort to read at least a book written in as many different centuries as possible, I have fallen on ol’ Piersy-boy.
It was written in the late 1300s England. The book’s narrator is a very sleepy feller because it starts with him settling down for a long summer’s nap during which he has a weird allegorical dream. Then he wakes up, takes a few steps and decides that was a good day's work and drops down for another nap and has his obligatory allegorical dream. This happens a bunch of times.
Piers Plowman was probably the inspiration for John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. But unlike Pilgrim’s Progress, Piers Plowman doesn’t have an overarching story. Piers P. has some recurring characters and themes in the dreams, but each dream is its own thing.
The dreams happen in a variety of situations, like a king’s court, a church, farms, etc. Sometimes the issues discussed feel quite modern, like the way the rich take advantage of the poor. The author denounced the corruption and hypocrisy of many religious people and leaders. Through the allegories, you can often pick up details about daily life in the late 1300s and the effects of the Black Plague which had recently happened. Of course, there were many opinions that I didn’t agree with, like the author’s occasional tirades against beggars. Often, it was hard to figure out what point the author was making.
At the end of the day, the book isn’t a thrilling page-turner, but it is quite interesting. If you do read the book, I recommend listening to the audiobook narrated by Jonathan Keeble. He did a phenomenal job, doing lots of different character voices and accents.
It was written in the late 1300s England. The book’s narrator is a very sleepy feller because it starts with him settling down for a long summer’s nap during which he has a weird allegorical dream. Then he wakes up, takes a few steps and decides that was a good day's work and drops down for another nap and has his obligatory allegorical dream. This happens a bunch of times.
Piers Plowman was probably the inspiration for John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. But unlike Pilgrim’s Progress, Piers Plowman doesn’t have an overarching story. Piers P. has some recurring characters and themes in the dreams, but each dream is its own thing.
The dreams happen in a variety of situations, like a king’s court, a church, farms, etc. Sometimes the issues discussed feel quite modern, like the way the rich take advantage of the poor. The author denounced the corruption and hypocrisy of many religious people and leaders. Through the allegories, you can often pick up details about daily life in the late 1300s and the effects of the Black Plague which had recently happened. Of course, there were many opinions that I didn’t agree with, like the author’s occasional tirades against beggars. Often, it was hard to figure out what point the author was making.
At the end of the day, the book isn’t a thrilling page-turner, but it is quite interesting. If you do read the book, I recommend listening to the audiobook narrated by Jonathan Keeble. He did a phenomenal job, doing lots of different character voices and accents.
December 20, 2022
Imagine something of the scope of Dante and the earthiness of Chaucer mixed into a wonderfully odd Medieval soup. I devoured this, and will be back for seconds.
August 30, 2022
There were parts of this that I really enjoyed — like the many, many take downs of the Church and its various agents — but ultimately it got to be too tedious for me. It's a series of dreams/visions, which is all well and good, but unlike other dream stories, there's not really a larger story. The dreams don't come on a quest, per se, they're kind of the whole point. At the same time, it's almost pure allegory. Characters are named things like Conscience, Contrition, Envy, and Greed, etc. This was interesting at first, to see how these "characters" interacted with each other and what that meant for the real world. But most of the characters are this way, and they're all very one dimensional: they are what their name suggests. Finally, it's very Christian. Again, like with dream narratives, I'm okay with a Christian story if it's doled out carefully, but this just dumps it on the reader. I was expecting something closer to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, with some weird bits and some obvious Christian stuff, but ol' Piers Plowman leans far in one direction, without leaving much room for an actual story.
September 19, 2021
if the characters from disney's inside out were in nolan's inception
March 27, 2024
Like a 14th century cross of Paradise Lost and Pilgrim's Progress, but not as good as either. Some interesting thoughts on the dangers of knowledge and learning.
February 17, 2025
An extremely challenging but rewarding late medieval allegory that influenced Chaucer, Bunyan, and many other later writers. A unique blend of social satire and theological allegory; a kind of English Dante (although not as brilliant!). It can be read as a poignant discourse on the ascent of the soul to salvation and as a commentary of the corruption of the late medieval Roman church and late medieval society. In many ways, it’s a proto-Reformation work with some obvious influences of Wycliff and the Lollards.
March 5, 2020
I read this hoping it might give me a slice of life in Medieval England but it turns out it's 250 pages of quite dense Christian allegory (ie not exactly bedside reading (the only reading I ever do)) 🤷♂️
Read
August 31, 2025I picked this up as part of my 'Canon Reading' list that I have put together over time. This is not the time or place to talk about this list but reading this reminded me why I wanted to read these books in some kind of chronological order.
Piers Plowman is a long allusive and alliterative 14th century poem that is made up of eight visions (with two inner dreams within those visions.) It is an Inception poem. It is a call to change to live a life of Christian love. It tackles the things that prevent us from doing that whether those are external forces or internal ones. But it is fundamental message is "love your fellow man/love your enemies". Its message, despite being over six hundred years old is one that modern Christians need to hear, especially the borderline blasphemous American evangelicals.
Of course being that old it has issues for a contemporary reader. It's discussion of both Judaism and Islam is of its time and based on what was known and/or believed then. Medieval antisemitism is there, particularly in hammering away at the role of the Jews in the rejection and execution of Jesus.
It also reminded me of some of the issues I have with Christianity from the relatively specific, e.g. understanding the story of Job to the more general. The most important of the general things is the danger that Christianity by making suffering and poverty are noble things that will be rewarded in heaven which can be used by people to push a degree of passivity on people. To accept a society's status quo. Now, history is filled with Christians who have railed against their society and demanded change, but the danger of passivity are there.
It is interesting that this was written at a time - post the first massive way of plague and around the time of the Peasant's Revolt - when society was undergoing significant changes. John Ball uses Piers Plowman in one of his speeches during the Peasant's Revolt. And you could read it as a clarion call for a revolution, but more a revolution of the soul than a political one. The book is full of criticism of the established Church, of religious orders, of nobility for their lack of love, of charity, and their hypocrisy. The Pope comes in for a kicking too. So you can see why this book has been seen as a Wycliffian/Lollardian/Reformation predecessor, although its translator, A.V.C. Schmidt, in their introduction suggests that this is not the case.
That reminds me that reading this made me want to know more about Wyclif, Lollards etc. But also it reminded me why I want to do my 'Canon' list in chronological order. Schmidt's translation, which is a prose and poetical one, is filled with extensive end notes and I feel that if I'd read more of previous books so that I would need to refer to those less. Because they break up the rhythm of your reading. I also want to read a poetic translation. This was fine, but I feel poetry into prose is never quite right. That might be unfair.
It also made me think about the whole process of my reading and how shallow or not it is.
I really enjoyed reading this. More so than I probably expected.
Piers Plowman is a long allusive and alliterative 14th century poem that is made up of eight visions (with two inner dreams within those visions.) It is an Inception poem. It is a call to change to live a life of Christian love. It tackles the things that prevent us from doing that whether those are external forces or internal ones. But it is fundamental message is "love your fellow man/love your enemies". Its message, despite being over six hundred years old is one that modern Christians need to hear, especially the borderline blasphemous American evangelicals.
Of course being that old it has issues for a contemporary reader. It's discussion of both Judaism and Islam is of its time and based on what was known and/or believed then. Medieval antisemitism is there, particularly in hammering away at the role of the Jews in the rejection and execution of Jesus.
It also reminded me of some of the issues I have with Christianity from the relatively specific, e.g. understanding the story of Job to the more general. The most important of the general things is the danger that Christianity by making suffering and poverty are noble things that will be rewarded in heaven which can be used by people to push a degree of passivity on people. To accept a society's status quo. Now, history is filled with Christians who have railed against their society and demanded change, but the danger of passivity are there.
It is interesting that this was written at a time - post the first massive way of plague and around the time of the Peasant's Revolt - when society was undergoing significant changes. John Ball uses Piers Plowman in one of his speeches during the Peasant's Revolt. And you could read it as a clarion call for a revolution, but more a revolution of the soul than a political one. The book is full of criticism of the established Church, of religious orders, of nobility for their lack of love, of charity, and their hypocrisy. The Pope comes in for a kicking too. So you can see why this book has been seen as a Wycliffian/Lollardian/Reformation predecessor, although its translator, A.V.C. Schmidt, in their introduction suggests that this is not the case.
That reminds me that reading this made me want to know more about Wyclif, Lollards etc. But also it reminded me why I want to do my 'Canon' list in chronological order. Schmidt's translation, which is a prose and poetical one, is filled with extensive end notes and I feel that if I'd read more of previous books so that I would need to refer to those less. Because they break up the rhythm of your reading. I also want to read a poetic translation. This was fine, but I feel poetry into prose is never quite right. That might be unfair.
It also made me think about the whole process of my reading and how shallow or not it is.
I really enjoyed reading this. More so than I probably expected.
June 17, 2022
"But there was one lesson that he taught to all of them: to be faithful, whatever their trade, and to love one another."
At the recommendation of a former professor, I read "Piers Plowman" by William Langland. It is an allegory reminiscent of Bunyan's style, but Langland wrote some 300 years earlier in the 1300s. Admittedly, allegory of this style isn't my preferred reading material. However, I dove into it interested to learn more of High Medieval Christian thought.
What I discovered is that "Piers Plowman" is comprised of 8 "visions" which the author has. In them he meets a variety of colorful characters. He uses them to expose the depravity of the culture around him in frequently vulgar fashion. Nearly everyone is heavily criticized, but none so heavily as the friars. With this exposure of and denunciation of sin comes calls for reform and repentance.
On the positive side, I appreciated that this book calls out all sin. Many modern Christian life books will attack a particular sin which upsets the author but then overlook and even excuse other sins. This book doesn't do that. Everything from sloth, to greed, to lust, and much more is described and denounced. Which I found refreshing.
On the negative side, this book promotes works based salvation. Everything in the book revolves around this false teaching. The book is full of dire warnings of purgatory and of losing your salvation. So, if you want to understand the difference between orthodox evangelical thought and papism, then I recommend you read this alongside "Pilgrim's Progress". Since they deal with similar themes and have similar styles, the comparison should be enlightening.
On a whole then, I cannot recommend that you read "Piers Plowman" unless you are seeking to learn more about High Medieval England. Theologically it is fundamentally flawed.
At the recommendation of a former professor, I read "Piers Plowman" by William Langland. It is an allegory reminiscent of Bunyan's style, but Langland wrote some 300 years earlier in the 1300s. Admittedly, allegory of this style isn't my preferred reading material. However, I dove into it interested to learn more of High Medieval Christian thought.
What I discovered is that "Piers Plowman" is comprised of 8 "visions" which the author has. In them he meets a variety of colorful characters. He uses them to expose the depravity of the culture around him in frequently vulgar fashion. Nearly everyone is heavily criticized, but none so heavily as the friars. With this exposure of and denunciation of sin comes calls for reform and repentance.
On the positive side, I appreciated that this book calls out all sin. Many modern Christian life books will attack a particular sin which upsets the author but then overlook and even excuse other sins. This book doesn't do that. Everything from sloth, to greed, to lust, and much more is described and denounced. Which I found refreshing.
On the negative side, this book promotes works based salvation. Everything in the book revolves around this false teaching. The book is full of dire warnings of purgatory and of losing your salvation. So, if you want to understand the difference between orthodox evangelical thought and papism, then I recommend you read this alongside "Pilgrim's Progress". Since they deal with similar themes and have similar styles, the comparison should be enlightening.
On a whole then, I cannot recommend that you read "Piers Plowman" unless you are seeking to learn more about High Medieval England. Theologically it is fundamentally flawed.
August 3, 2025
This is a beautiful medieval allegory, told in the form of a dream. The author is confronting middle/old age, and fears for his mortality. He then begins to have religious/Christian dreams, which he relates to the reader. The book is about half social criticism, largely of the institutional church for its corruption and closeness to wealth and power. The other half is a serious of stunning images of stories from the Gospels, mostly having to do with Holy Week, the Crucifixion, Harrowing of Hell, and the Resurrection, and the birth and development of the Church. The author contrasts this idealized version of Christianity with the reality of considerable institutional corruption. It really is beautiful writing, but I wish I had read more commentary on the poem, as there were many allusions that I found confusing. It reminded me in some ways of Pilgrim's Progress, although it was much more focused on communal church issues than on the individual soul. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the Middle Ages or historical Christianity.
December 24, 2021
Setting aside the fascinating use of allegory, he is at once more blatant than other writers and more subtle, it was the structure that struck me this time. Will is simultaneously living his life, writing his poems and making his way to heaven. The structure echoes this in its apparent disjointedness as each vision digs deeper into Will's faith and life and widens the scope of his interests. It is in that sense a journey from Do Well to Do Best.
February 23, 2021
I have always wanted to read this book as it was set in a time when the black death or otherwise known as the Plague. I have now read this book and have to say its a beautiful translation from old English that flows as water wends its way along the course of a river. I found the allegorical text facinating and I was even sad when I reached the end and closed the book.
March 2, 2025
This is an interesting one, because on the one hand it’s both extremely Christian and rather dull, but on the other hand, he takes the allegories and pushes them so hard they come out into living entities, and it gets under your skin.
I did not enjoy this at all, but I will be chewing on it for a while.
I did not enjoy this at all, but I will be chewing on it for a while.
September 18, 2021
Read for my Medieval English Literature class. Not my favourite. Highly allegorical and religious (although I suppose that’s the whole idea), but certainly dragged.
December 17, 2022
I prefer the other translations over this one, there r many bible references that go over editors head
January 27, 2025
Fun to read but a smidge hard to push through at times, overall was enjoyable!
November 17, 2025
Rather difficult stuff, but really really interesting. I love alliterative verse so muchhhhhhhh.
November 14, 2020
If you have a high tolerance for overt allegory, an appreciation for mediaeval European literature and history, and an interest in Christian ethics, then probably you will enjoy this book, as I did. That said, the author strongly expresses both anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim sentiments, which are ignorant and offensive, so it’s best to read this book primarily as a historical document. I had a difficult time deciding how to rate this book. I’m glad I read it.
October 1, 2023
Quest for the true Christian life. Charity is the goal over Dowel and Piers the Plowman is the way (the only one who can put down pride).
“Give me good luck, give me good health, until I can find Piers the Plowman!”
His final plea was a piercing cry for Grace.
It rang on in my ears, till I awoke…
“Give me good luck, give me good health, until I can find Piers the Plowman!”
His final plea was a piercing cry for Grace.
It rang on in my ears, till I awoke…
March 8, 2014
Another book it's absurd to give a star rating to...
September 3, 2014
Took a whole but very rewarding at times.
August 12, 2019
Bit of a slog. It’s one I read sections of at university and decided I should read the whole thing. Hundreds of pages of Christian allegory on my commute were quite hard work!
October 3, 2020
Very useful edition.
Read
April 15, 20221378
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews