Teaching through Charite: The Role of Confession in Augustine and Langland

Abstract

Introduction: The difficulties of reading a work like William Langlands Vision of Piers the Plowman go beyond historical distance, textual disagreement, sequence of manuscripts, and language. Despite the burgeoning field of scholars captivated by the speculation the text in those directions, one of the primary difficulties involves ethical interpretation. Written in an age of didacticism, when, as Chaucer explained of his Canterbury Tales, For oure book seith, `Al that is written is written for oure doctrine, and that is myn entente, it is fit and meet that this element of the work not be ignored (CT X.1083). The poem brings up more questions than it answers, and demands persistent study for understanding. At the same time, though, its message (be Charitable - in the fullest sense) is rather dear. Admittedly, this injunction is not revolutionary. Yet, what we see is that for some one to carry this charge through, to live in `caritas, would be revolutionary. Such a radical shift, the poem suggests, is not to be accomplished on a broad or sweeping basis, is not to involve large groups of people. As John Lawlor pointed out in his study of the poem, Langlands whole emphasis is upon the individuals application of the truth to himself. True reform thus begins at home; there is no need to externalize the search (1962, p. 46). In this paper I would like to look at the apparent paradox of caritas, of Charite, which is based on the inward feeling of an individual directed outward toward all (and which is dead without works). Is it that one who has caritas acts upon it? Or is it that one who acts has caritas? I would like to look closer at what Charite means in the context of teaching, and will do so by focusing primarily upon Will the Dreamers encounter with Dame Study in the middle of Langlands alliterative poem.