Piers Plowman and its Manuscript Tradition

The first full survey of surviving manuscripts of William Langland's Piers Plowman reveals a distinct reception from reformist poems, with scribes devising traditional forms of presentation that survived into the age of print. The book explores the affective responses of medieval readers to the lives of the narrator Will and Piers the Plowman and proposes new ways of understanding the late medieval manuscript as a multi-layered, collaborative product.

Format: Hardback
Length: 260 pages
Publication date: 16 August 2022
Publisher: York Medieval Press

The fifty-plus surviving manuscripts of William Langland's Piers Plowman provide valuable insights into the early public life of this central Middle English work, yet they have received relatively limited scholarly attention. This groundbreaking study delves into the textual variations, marginal rubrics, and companion texts found in these manuscripts, shedding light on a reception that differs significantly from the reformist poems written by Langland's imitators in the Piers Plowman tradition. Through its examination of Piers Plowman's appearances in the manuscripts, coupled with unexpected genres such as romance, hagiography, and travel literature, the book reveals the profound emotional responses of medieval readers to the lives of the narrator Will and the title figure Piers the Plowman. At the same time, it challenges the notion of individual scribal agendas in particular copies, highlighting the ambiguous nature of evidence for scribal involvement. By drawing on evidence from textual scholarship, codicology, and literary approaches, the author offers fresh perspectives on Piers Plowman's place in literary history and proposes innovative ways of understanding the late medieval manuscript as a multi-layered, collaborative product.

Sarah Wood holds the position of Associate Professor of Medieval English Literature at the University of Warwick, where she continues to explore the rich tapestry of medieval literature and its enduring impact on our understanding of the past.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781914049071