Plowman 6-9

Finally we get the Plow Man himself. In passus 6 Piers comes into save the day and give a second-wind to the only thing that could be a mystery in this book: Truth. As we noticed in the Oxford English Dictionary, mystery has a lot to do with religion. Plowman seems to be the missing link to get to truth, and all he wants is to set up a farm commune in return.

Though these Passus were particularly confusing, here is an interesting quote:

“The wise suffreth the onwise with you for to lybbe” (9.86)

This was pretty deep, and has interesting philosophical implications. This type of thing happens when you are dreaming and see yourself in some form. It gets you to think about the big questions.

“The wise suffer so that the unwise can live” was sort of how I read this. There are implications here of societal duty and the idea of a structural intellectual hierarchy.

In a book that often critiques aristocrats, the clergy, and so called “intellectuals”, this statement seems to go against the tide. It almost glorifies the highest positions in society, asserting that these “wise” people take the burden for the lower classes, or unwise. They do the jobs in society that are most important.