Piers Plowman- Passus 2
This passus was surprisingly even more confusing than the first. I thought that as time went on things would click and become more clear, but that didn't happen with me. I know that there is a lot written about a church and there was mention of marriage, but it's extremely difficult to comprehend what is happening. I've concluded that the narrator is either hallucinating or is having a very vivd dream where he talks to a woman.
Clearly, this isn't a mystery novel in the traditional sense. There is no intelligent detective, there are no false clues, and there isn't really an element of suspense either. The novel is a mystery because the plot is all over the place and it just isn't easy for the audience to comprehend. As a result, the reader has to get their "evidence" by piecing parts of the story together and trying to make sense of it all. This book is unique because instead of composing a mystery plot, the author chose to make the actual book a challenge to figure out. Finding the mystery in the story means analyzing how and why the author made the decisions that he did and how this affects the literature as a whole.
Clearly, this isn't a mystery novel in the traditional sense. There is no intelligent detective, there are no false clues, and there isn't really an element of suspense either. The novel is a mystery because the plot is all over the place and it just isn't easy for the audience to comprehend. As a result, the reader has to get their "evidence" by piecing parts of the story together and trying to make sense of it all. This book is unique because instead of composing a mystery plot, the author chose to make the actual book a challenge to figure out. Finding the mystery in the story means analyzing how and why the author made the decisions that he did and how this affects the literature as a whole.
I totally agree with everything that you said! I found passus 2 really hard to read and it took me many rereads before I have even a clue of what was going on. I also agree that this isn't a typical mystery story or even a typical mystery in the story--I like that you point out that trying to figure the plot out itself is almost like a mystery in a way.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that this story is not a mystery story in the traditional sense, I don't think that the plot itself is "all over the place." At the very least, the author did not intend the plot to be purposefully convoluted. Sure, the language is nearly inscrutable at times, but that is just because we are not used to it. The story in Chapter 2 about Mede's marriage, even if it takes multiple readings to understand, is chronological and connected.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the language creates another element of mystery for the reader to uncover, becoming an active member of the investigation. Your point about the narrator having hallucinations is interesting, what made you think that? I am similarly confused about the plot, and am struggling to understand the connection between the religious ideals expressed in passus 1, and the marriage proposed in passus 2.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how you argued that this story is a mystery because the reader has a difficult time understanding the story whether due to the plot or a completely separate reason. I agree with you that the language is challenging to comprehend, but I personally believe that the personification of ideas makes the story relatively straightforward. Of course, I still find the story confusing, and I imagine that most readers feel similarly with the limited information given at the beginning of the story. However, because of the amount of personification and the obvious biblical references, I believe that the author's purpose will become very clear by the end.
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