Food for Thought

Week 9 (October 21-27)

Twelve Conclusions of the Lollards (1395)

1) How do the Lollards see themselves? What kind of people do they think they are?

2) According to the Lollards, where did the Church go wrong? If they had to attribute the Church's error to one mistake or sin, what would it be?

3) Is there any sort of theme that unites the Lollards' accusations?

4) What theological changes do the Lollards wish to implement? How many are there?

5) If they do not suggest many changes in theology, what type of changes do they demand from the Church?

6) How would the Lollards' demands change secular life? How would they change society?

Langland's Piers Plowman

I'd be lying to you if I didn't tell you that Piers Plowman constitutes the hardest read in this class. That's why I've devoted two days to it. It is indispensable, however, that you "plow" through it. First, your next essay will require you to discuss various concepts from this work. Second, this work will provide you with insight concerning the English medieval Catholic mind—a useful contrast to the changes that will take place later during the English Reformation.

The Structure of Piers Plowman: Despite first appearances, this story has a certain flow and progression. To help you read the book, I've provided a listing of its component parts described in terms of what the author hoped they would accomplish.

• Prologue: A Survey of the Community on Earth as It Is: The World of Appearances: But, as Langland argues, there is more to life than appearances.
  
• Passus 1: Description and Categorization of Appearances and Realities: Here, we find out about everything else—the world of reality beneath appearances—that is, how the world is truly divided.
  
• Passus 2-4: The Meed Episode: This describes the world of artificial temporal goods, excess, and physical luxury. We also learn the extent to which they can corrupt.
  
• Passus 5: Realization of the Need to Confess: Reason's assessment of Meed leads everyone to see the need to confess sins. Confession, however, is not enough. What is the best restitution for one's crimes against God? The central problem of the story arises here.
  
• Passus 6: Natural, Temporal Goods: We make the transition from natural temporal goods to the quest for spiritual goods, particularly with Do-Well.
  
• Passus 7-12: The Do-Well Pardon and the Quest for Do-Well: But what is Do-Well? We define that here.
  
• Passus 13-15: Understanding the Need for Change: Can We Change?: Through our study and definition of Do-Well, we come to see it involves amendment of our behavior and outlook. But can we change ourselves?
  
• Passus 16-18: Will Obtains Hope: Just when Will has been stripped of all his delusions, he comes to understand that God has provided various instruments that support the cultivation of Do-Well.
  
• Passus19-20: The Constant Struggle of the Church: But, the struggle for Do-Well will take forever—Christianity is always in danger.
  
• Dreams: Remember that there are eight dreams, with two dreams-within-a-dream sequences.

General Questions

1) What are the limitations of this work in understanding the medieval mind?

2) Why does Langland use the dream as a vehicle by which to explore various concepts? What kinds of dreams are these? How does the modern age interpret dreams? What do they mean? Is the modern conception of the meaning of dreams all that different from Langland's?

3) Is this a revolutionary or reformist work?

4) What is this book about? What is its object? What is the central problem it is discussing and dissecting?

5) Why do we need a book like this to tell us about true Christianity when we have the Bible? How is this work different from the Bible?

Prologue

1) Who and exactly what does Langland survey in the prologue? What seems to be the chief problem? How are the temporal and spiritual worlds related?

2) Why does Langland feel toward the King as he does? What's the meaning of the parable of the mice, the rats, and the cat? Why is the King necessary?

Passus I

1) What is the relationship between the natural and the Christian?

2) What is truth?

3) Is truth enough? What about love? What is love? What is the relationship between the two?

Passus II-IV

1) What is the relationship of Passus II to Passus I?

2) What is Meed? What is Meed's role in stimulating evil? Is she evil herself? What good purposes does she serve?

Passus V

1) So what brings us from the events surrounding Meed's trial to Reason's sermon in Passus V?

2) Which sins confess in this Passus?

3) When covetousness makes his confession, what problem does he encounter?

4) Why is confession not enough? What is the best restitution of all? Why is the best restitution perhaps the most difficult?

5) If Passus V presents the main problem of the story, what is that problem?

Passus VI

1) Why do you think Langland picks Piers as a spiritual guide? What does Piers do for a living? What does he represent?

2) What does his 1/2 acre represent?

3) Why does Piers experiment fail? What accounts for all failures and disasters?

4) What does Piers' family indicate about Langland's conception of the perfect community?

5) How ought the human community to be ordered? What does Piers say to the knight who wants to help plow?

Passus VII

1) Why do the terms of the pardon vary by estate?

2) What are the actual words of the pardon? What seems to be Langland's solution to what ails earthly life?

Passus VIII-XII

As you read these sections, think about what Do-Best, Do-Better, and Do-Well are.

1) What is the meaning of the parable of Anima (Soul)? How does it work?

2) What is Langland's attitude toward marriage?

3) Why is theology a "lame study" (Passus X, p. 94)?

4) Why is Langland so angry with the clergy? How has it earned his wrath?

Passus XIII-XIV

1) In the largest or broadest sense, who is Hawkin, and what does he represent?

2) What does his coat represent?

3) Why is he reduced to tears at the end of Passus XIV?

Passus XVI-XVIII

1) Why is charity the most important aspect of Do-Well? What does that indicate about Do-Well (Passus XVI).

2) What is the tree of charity supported by?

3) What is Passus XVII about?

Passus XIX-XX

1) Why is Christ jousting for Piers Plowman, wearing Piers' clothes? What is the metaphor here?

2) In the closing Passus, what is happening to Holy Mother Church? What accounts for its suffering?

3) What seems to be Langland's opinion about the future of the Church?

4) What does he want people to do?

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