Delving into the origins of "Piers Plowman," one discovers that virtually no concrete details about its author have come to light. Once a matter of scholarly debate, the authorship was initially attributed to multiple poets but has since been confirmed to be the work of a single, enigmatic figure. This poet is now widely accepted to be William Langland.

The Enigma of Langland's Identity

William Langland's identity is largely pieced together from scant historical references and manuscripts from the fifteenth century attributing "Piers Plowman" to him. A line in the B Text is thought to cryptically reference Langland's name: “’I haue lyued in londe’, quod [I], ’my name is longe wille.’” Other notes from that era suggest Langland may have been the son of Stacey, or Eustace de Rokayle, linked to land under Lord Despenser in Shipton-under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire. Though some speculate he was born illegitimately, the surname discrepancy is not uncommon for the time. Langland is believed to have been born in Shropshire, specifically at Cleobury Mortimer, not far from the Malvern Hills, which form the backdrop for "Piers Plowman." The B Text, dated around 1377, mentions the poet being forty-five, placing his birth around 1332.

Piecing Together Langland’s Life

The narrative of Langland's life, albeit speculative, is primarily drawn from the poem itself, where the narrator "Will" is assumed to be a reflection of Langland. In the C Text, Langland mentions having attended school, probably at the Great Malvern priory in Worcestershire. He likely pursued training for the priesthood but had to abandon his studies due to the deaths of family members and the lack of a patron. Consequently, he only achieved minor orders, preventing further ecclesiastical advancement, partly because marrying, which he did, was only permitted for lower-order clerks.

Struggles and Survival in Clerical Life

Based on these insights, E. Talbot Donaldson suggests Langland was an acolyte, a member of the unbeneficed clergy struggling to sustain themselves without a formal Church position. Despite his poverty, Langland claimed an exemption from manual labor, thanks to his status as a tonsured clerk. Scholar W. W. Skeat theorized that Langland might have supplemented his income by working as a scribe, given his intimate knowledge of legal document formats seen in the poem. Additionally, he may have performed odd clerical tasks in London, living in Cornhill with his wife, Kitte, and their daughter, Callote, as suggested by an autobiographical segment in the C Text. Langland seems to have survived by singing prayers for the deceased and making rounds to collect fees from affluent patrons.

A Unique Persona and Persistent Efforts

Langland depicted himself, perhaps with a touch of ironic exaggeration, as an unusual figure—tall, lean, and wandering about in beggar’s attire. "Long Will," as he was nicknamed, had little regard for the self-important wealthy and devoted much time to his writing. Some viewed his eccentricities as madness. Nevertheless, he dedicated approximately thirty years to crafting and refining "Piers Plowman," possibly revising it until his death. The minimal revision in the final two sections of the C Text compared to the B version suggests he may have passed away before completing the final touches. While the exact date of Langland’s death is uncertain, he likely did not live past the 1390s. If he indeed authored "Richard the Redeless," as some believe, he was alive as late as 1395.