Piers Plowman
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Prologue Passus I Passus II Passus III Passus IV Passus V Passus VI Passus VII Passus VIII Passus IX Passus X Passus XI Passus XII Passus XIII Passus XIV Passus XV Passus XVI Passus XVII Passus XVIII Passus XIX Passus XX
Themes
All Themes Love Corruption Penance and Repentance Good Works and Salvation Social Hierarchy, Community, and Selfishness Labor vs. Idleness
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Will Piers Plowman Conscience Christ / Jesus Friar Flatterer Truth Samaritan King Meed Simony Wrong Lecher Covetousness Grace Hunger Anima Knight Parnel Proud-Heart Trajan Master of Divinity Hawkin Faith Hope Peace Lucifer Satan Devil Patience
Symbols
All Symbols Field Full of Folk Cat Castle on the Hill Dungeon in the Valley Hawkin’s Coat Tree Three Wooden Poles Hand Four Oxen Four Horses Two Harrows Four types of seeds
Upgrade to LitCharts A+
Instant downloads of all 1916 LitChart PDFs (including Piers Plowman).
LitCharts Teacher Editions. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does.
Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts.
The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of every Shakespeare play.
Literature
Guides Poetry
Guides Literary
Terms Shakespeare
Translations
Ask
LitCharts AI
Ask
AI
Literature
Lit
Poetry
Lit Terms
Terms
Shakescleare Ask AI

Piers Plowman

by

William Langland
Download this LitChart! (PDF)
Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Piers Plowman makes teaching easy.

Friar Flatterer Character Analysis

Friar Flatterer is the friar who is called into Unity to heal those whom Hypocrisy and other evil forces wounded. Although Peace and Conscience are wary of him, Courteous Speech welcomes him warmly. Friar Flatterer turns out to be corrupt, as his method for healing the Christians is giving them a drugged potion that makes them careless about sin and consequence. Friar Flatterer is the last straw for Conscience, as the friar’s drugged drink is what spurs Conscience to abandon Unity in search of Piers Plowman.

Friar Flatterer Quotes in Piers Plowman

The Piers Plowman quotes below are all either spoken by Friar Flatterer or refer to Friar Flatterer. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Love Theme Icon
).
Passus XX Quotes

He lies drowned in dream…and so do many
others.
The Friar with his physic has enchanted the folk here,
And given them a drugged drink: they dread no sin.

Related Characters: Peace (speaker), Conscience, Friar Flatterer, Contrition
Corruption Theme Icon
Penance and Repentance Theme Icon
Page Number: 363
Explanation and Analysis:

…I will become a pilgrim,
…To seek Piers the Plowman, who might expunge Pride,
And see that friars had funds who flatter for need
And contradict me, Conscience; now Kind avenge me,
And send me heart and health till I have Piers the Plowman.

Related Characters: Conscience (speaker), Piers Plowman, Friar Flatterer, Kind
Corruption Theme Icon
Penance and Repentance Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Community, and Selfishness Theme Icon
Page Number: 363
Explanation and Analysis:
Unlock with LitCharts A+
Get the entire Piers Plowman LitChart as a printable PDF.
Download
Piers Plowman PDF

Friar Flatterer Quotes in Piers Plowman

The Piers Plowman quotes below are all either spoken by Friar Flatterer or refer to Friar Flatterer. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Love Theme Icon
).
Passus XX Quotes

He lies drowned in dream…and so do many
others.
The Friar with his physic has enchanted the folk here,
And given them a drugged drink: they dread no sin.

Related Characters: Peace (speaker), Conscience, Friar Flatterer, Contrition
Corruption Theme Icon
Penance and Repentance Theme Icon
Page Number: 363
Explanation and Analysis:

…I will become a pilgrim,
…To seek Piers the Plowman, who might expunge Pride,
And see that friars had funds who flatter for need
And contradict me, Conscience; now Kind avenge me,
And send me heart and health till I have Piers the Plowman.

Related Characters: Conscience (speaker), Piers Plowman, Friar Flatterer, Kind
Corruption Theme Icon
Penance and Repentance Theme Icon
Social Hierarchy, Community, and Selfishness Theme Icon
Page Number: 363
Explanation and Analysis:
Unlock with LitCharts A+
Home About Contact Help
Copyright © 2024 All Rights Reserved
Terms Privacy Privacy Request
The LitCharts.com logo.
Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account
You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes.

or

Already have an account? Sign in
Complete your free account to request a guide
Already have an account? Sign in
The LitCharts.com logo.
Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account.
You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles.

or

Already have an account? Sign in
Complete your free account to access notes and highlights
Already have an account? Sign in
The LitCharts.com logo.
Saving guides requires a free LitCharts account
Easily access your saved guides anytime.

or

Already have an account? Sign in
Complete your free account to save guides
Already have an account? Sign in