Age of Chaucer II William Langland II History of English Literature II Piers the Plowman II UGC NET

AGE OF CHAUCER

William Langland (1332 ? to 1400 ?)

Born in a poor family William Langland spent his childhood as a shepherd in Worcestershire. After his marriage, he shifted to London with his wife and children and there he worked as a clerk and then as a prophet in the church.

Langland is mainly known for his very popular narrative poetry 'The Vision Concerning Piers the Plowman'.

It is written in three forms - A Text, B Text and C Text. The first version (A Text) was written in about 1362. The second version (B Text) was written in about 1377 and the third version (C Text) was written thereafter. 

All these three versions contains eleven visions of the poet. It is an allegorical poem representing man’s life on the earth. It also reminds us of John Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’.

1) The poem maybe considered as a picture of contemporary life and manners of the 14th century.

2)      It is a satire upon religious abuses and voices of the time.

3)      It also attempts to bring reformation in the society.

4)          It is an allegory of human life.

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