Title Background

The Language of Wit in <i>Piers Plowman</i>

The Language of Wit in Piers Plowman

Wit in PPl operates as a synonym for understanding one’s true self. Comprehension is not merely a mental fact but also the outcome of the linguistic process of verbal confrontation, as Will by stages gains knowledge or is baffled by the guide figures of Holy Chirche, Anima, Thoght, Ymaginatif and Reson. The lexeme “Wit” is polysemous within the poem, and the crowd of personifications of Wit’s various attributes leaves the reader with an ultimate feeling of intellectual frustration.