Most Popular Books by Nevill Coghill

At first sight, Piers Plowman might seem to be a poem of interest only to medievalists, but Professor Coghill shows that far from being an obscure curiosity of literature, it is the greatest Christian poem in our language. It is an allegory as deeply concerned with the wilderness of the world and the quest for truth, as immediate in its impact and as relevant to the present age, as Waiting For Godot. Coghill discusses its authorship and then analyses this truly remarkable poem with its 'sublimity of vision and colloquialism of language'. Finally, he relates Langland to his great contemporary, Chaucer: 'these great poets meet in their knowledge of the world and of the soul's need in the struggle of light and darkness.' Nevill Coghill, formerly Merton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford, is author of The Pardon of Piers Plowman (1946), The Masque of Hope (1948), Visions of Piers Plowman (1949), The Poet Chaucer (1950), and is widely known for his translation of The Canterbury Tales (1951). He is also the author of Geoffrey Chaucer in this series.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Professor Coghill examines Shakespeare's work, not as poet, but as dramatist.