William Langland (1330-1400)
About the Poet:
Alright, folks, let's talk about this dude named William Langland. He's believed to be the genius behind one of the most awesome Middle English poems ever, called Piers Plowman. This work is all about allegory and tackles a bunch of religious themes in a super intricate way. One cool thing about Piers Plowman is that it takes all those fancy abbey concepts and translates them into symbols and images that regular folks like you and me can understand. It's like Langland is bridging the gap between the church and the common people.
Now, here's the deal: we don't know a whole lot about Langland's life. He probably grew up around the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire, but we can't say for sure. If he's the same guy as the "dreamer" in the poem, he might have gone to a fancy school in Great Malvern run by Benedictine monks. Langland seems to have known his way around London, Westminster, and Shropshire, and he might have been a low-ranking clergyman in London.
Langland was no slouch when it came to medieval theology. He was all about that Christian doctrine and knew it inside and out. He was really into the whole ascetic lifestyle championed by St. Bernard of Clairvaux. And even though he had some strong opinions about the flaws of church folks and religious types of his time, he was still pretty orthodox in his beliefs.
So there you have it, my friends! William Langland, the mastermind behind Piers Plowman, gives us a glimpse into the religious world of the Middle Ages. His poem may have some fancy language but don't worry, there are also some powerful and straightforward images that will blow your mind. Enjoy the ride and let your imagination run wild as we explore the awesomeness of Langland's work!
Piers Plowman
Context:
So, this poem is set in late 14th-century England, a time full of turmoil and upheaval. It was a period when corruption was rampant among politicians and even within the church. Imagine this: England faced major disasters like the Great Famine and the Bubonic Plague, which wiped out nearly half of the population. Talk about a devastating blow! And let's not forget the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, where people protested against a poll tax and exposed many flaws in the English economy. These events caused economic decline and shook up the old political order. It was a challenging time for society, theology, and the economy in medieval England, and Langland's poem sheds light on these struggles.
Now, when it comes to the different versions of "Piers Plowman," things get a bit confusing. Initially, it was believed that there were three versions: A, B, and C. The A version was the earliest, followed by the B and C versions, which were revised and expanded upon the major themes. But hold on, a fourth version called Z has been suggested, and the order of release is up for debate. The version we're looking at here is from the B text, which consists of a prologue and seven divisions called passuses. It focuses on the life of people in society, the dangers of being too obsessed with money (aka Meed), and the manifestation of the seven deadly sins. There are also 13 passuses that supposedly deal with the lives of characters like Do-wel, Do-bet, and Do-best, exploring how individuals grow in self-knowledge, grace, and charity as Christians.
Now, let's talk about the poem itself. It's a mix of theological allegory and social satire, tackling the narrator's quest for an authentic Christian life within the framework of medieval Catholicism. And guess what? This quest happens through a series of dream-visions. Our dreamer is on a mission, searching for symbolic characters like Dowel (aka "Do-Well"), Dobet (aka "Do-Better"), and Dobest (aka "Do-Best"). The poem which is divided into steps called passus, can vary depending on the version you're reading.
Synopsis:
So, our main dude Will lays down for a nap and has two wild dreams. In the first dream, there's this fancy lady in a tower representing Heaven, and on the other side, there's a gloomy dungeon representing Hell. And in the middle, there's a whole bunch of people from different walks of life. We got the clergy, the nobles, and the common folks. The corrupt church is busy selling pardons, which is shady business. The lady in the tower shines a light on Christianity and the right way to get into Heaven, pointing out that people try all sorts of messed up ways to earn salvation.
In Will's second dream, we meet Piers Plowman, a hardworking farmer who's like a Christ figure. A preacher tells the folks that the purpose of life is to seek out Saint Truth. Piers Plowman agrees, and together they go on a journey to find this Truth. Along the way, they learn that our actions and choices shape our lives and what happens after we kick the bucket. And that's when Will wakes up from his dream about Piers Plowman and sets off on his own quest to find Truth in his life.
Oh, and let's not forget the C-version of the poem, where the author shows empathy for the common folks and talks about the feudal system and social hierarchy. Will, the dreamer, realizes that Christian teachings give us the answers and guidance we need to navigate life. The poem sprinkles in Bible verses and uses character names to explore the Ten Commandments and highlight the importance of loving God and each other.
Themes:
Love:
Piers Plowman is all about this dude Will, who has these crazy dreams where he meets all kinds of weird characters. They teach him that being a good Christian means living a life centered around love. Love is like the backbone of Christianity, you know? Even studying God (Theology) is better with love because it's all tied together. Love is like the way to God, and God himself is love.
And it's not just about loving God; you gotta love other people, even your enemies! The poem says Christians should love everyone, no matter who they are. Even when people annoy you, you're still supposed to love them. It might seem tough, but everyone can love if they try.
The Church gets some criticism in the poem for being corrupt, but it's not saying Christianity is bad. It's just reminding folks that love should be at the heart of being a good Christian. Love God, love your neighbor, and yeah, love your enemies too. That's the key, according to Piers Plowman.
Corruption:
In Piers Plowman, Langland uses dream visions to show how messed up society was in fourteenth-century England, especially because of the Church's corruption. The Church had a lot of power, and its bad influence affected everyone, from nobles to common folks.
The clergy, who were supposed to be the good guys, were actually rotten at the core. They twisted the Gospel to benefit themselves, and even the friars were preaching for their own gain. And to top it off, the poem ends with a corrupt friar leading people astray with a shady drink.
But Langland doesn't let anyone off the hook. He makes it clear that all people, regardless of their status, can fall into corruption. Even the common rats and mice, if they had power, would be just as bad as the cat they fear.
Throughout the poem, Langland warns readers to stay vigilant against corruption and temptation. He's not saying the Church is hopeless, though. He's calling for change and for the clergy to get back to the real teachings of Christ.
Basically, Piers Plowman exposes the messed-up state of society and urges everyone to be better and do better.
Penance and Repentance:
Piers Plowman is all about how messed up the Church was in the 14th century, especially with this shady practice of selling indulgences. These indulgences were like get-out-of-jail-free cards for sins, and people could buy them with money. It was a total scam!
The poem follows this guy, Will, in a bunch of trippy dream visions where he learns that buying indulgences won't save your soul. Confessing sins to a priest and truly repenting is what matters. The Church was so focused on making money that they forgot to guide people properly in repentance.
There are moments in the poem where people try to buy their way out of sins, but it's just ridiculous. The King himself rejects the idea that you can buy forgiveness. And even after death, those indulgences are useless, like a pie crust.
Langland makes it clear that real repentance and genuine sorrow for sins are what counts. The Church needs to get its act together and provide proper guidance for people who want to change their ways.
Piers Plowman was a big deal, and it even sparked the Protestant Reformation later on. People were fed up with the corruption in the Church, just like Langland shows in his poem. It's a lesson for all of us to be sincere in our repentance and not fall for any shady schemes.
Good Works and Salvation:
Piers Plowman is all about how good works are super important for salvation, just like in the 14th-century Church. Those who don't do good works don't stand a chance at being saved, according to the poem.
But it's not just about ticking a box at the end of your life; good works should be a way of life. It's all about showing love to God and others. Helping people and doing acts of kindness are like expressions of love.
The poem makes it clear that good works and faith go hand-in-hand. Without good works, faith is dead. So, you gotta walk the talk and show your faith through good deeds.
And it's not about doing good just to get something in return. Good works should be freely given and received with love. Being selfish and only helping when there's something in it for you is a big no-no.
Overall, Piers Plowman emphasizes that good works are crucial for salvation, and they should come from the heart as a way to show love. It's a lesson for all of us to be genuinely kind and caring to others.
Social Hierarchy, Community and Selfishness:
In Piers Plowman, they've got this social hierarchy thing going on, with the clergy, knights, and peasants in their own estates. The poem is like, "Hey, it's not a bad idea if everyone works together for a common goal!" There are moments when God and heavenly beings try to get humans to work as a tight-knit community, helping each other out and all that.
But here's the catch: selfishness messes everything up. Feudalism sounds great in theory, but it only takes a few selfish folks to ruin it. Like, if some people refuse to work or be good, the whole system falls apart. The poem shows how human selfishness and sin can destroy the ideal social order.
Piers Plowman doesn't give a clear solution for fixing feudalism, but it's more about highlighting the impact of sin. Selfishness doesn't just hurt one person; it messes up the whole community. Langland wants us to prioritize the common good and put aside our selfish ways.
In a nutshell, the poem shows that social harmony is cool, but it takes everyone working together and putting the community first. Selfishness is the enemy here, and we gotta watch out for its destructive power.
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