This is a new translation into contemporary English of one of the greatest poems of the English Middle Ages. Piers Plowman remains of enduring interest for its vivid picture of the whole life of medieval society, for its deeply imaginative religious vision, and for its passionate concern to see justice and truth prevail in our world. A. V. C. Schmidt's translation of the B-text is provided with an Introduction and extensive Notes which place the work in its contemporary setting and offer a full interpretative commentary on the poem. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

The fourteenth-century "Piers Plowman" is one of the most influential poems from the Age of Chaucer. Following the character Will on his quest for the true Christian life, the three dream narratives that make up this work address a number of pressing political, social, moral, and educational issues of the late Middle Ages. Miceal F. Vaughan presents a fresh edition of the A version, an earlier and shorter version of this great work.

Unlike the B and C versions, there is no modern, affordable edition of the A version available. For the first time in decades, students and scholars of medieval literature now have access to this important work. Vaughan's clean, uncluttered text is accompanied by ample glossing of difficult Middle English words. An expansive introduction, which includes a narrative summary of the poem, textual notes, detailed endnotes, and a select bibliography frame the text, making this edition ideal for classroom use.

This is the first classroom edition of the A version since Thomas A. Knott and David C. Fowler's celebrated 1952 publication. Based on an early-fifteenth-century manuscript from the University of Oxford's Bodleian Library, Vaughan's text offers a unique rendition of the poem, and it is the first modern edition not to attribute the poem to William Langland. By conservatively editing one important witness of "Piers Plowman," Vaughan takes a new generation of students to an early version of this great medieval poem.