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The Vision and Creed of Piers Ploughman, Volume 2

By William Langland
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British LiteratureClassics of LiteraturePoetry

About This Book

A dream-vision follows a pilgrim-like narrator who seeks spiritual truth through encounters with allegorical figures such as Conscience, Patience, and Charity. A sequence of passus stages debates, sermons, and exempla that examine sin, penance, social injustice, and the tension between outward ritual and inward virtue. Satirical portraits of legal, clerical, and economic abuses alternate with didactic guidance on confession, contrition, and charitable living. Composed in vernacular alliterative verse, the work blends theological reflection, moral counsel, and vivid imagery to press for personal reform and communal compassion.

About the Author

Langland, William portrait

William Langland

William Langland was a 14th-century English poet best known for his allegorical work, "The Vision and Creed of Piers Ploughman." This poem, written in a unique alliterative verse, explores themes of social justice, morality, and the human condition through a series of dream visions. Langland's writing reflects the complexities of medieval society and critiques the corruption of the church and the state. His work is considered a significant contribution to Middle English literature and has influenced subsequent generations of writers. Langland's innovative narrative style and profound philosophical insights continue to resonate with readers today.

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