Question: There are many structural and thematic similarities between Piers Plowman by Langland (1330-1400) and House of Fame by Chaucer (1342-1400), two Middle English poems relating dream visions. Some critics have argued that because a number of the shared elements are uncommon in Middle English poetry, and because Langland’s poem probably predates Chaucer’s by a few years, Chaucer was most likely influenced by Piers Plowman when writing House of Fame.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the critics’ argument?

1. Piers Plowman is one of Langland’s major works, whereas House of Fame is a minor work of Chaucer’s.
2. House of Fame survives in only three manuscript copies, substantially fewer than the number of manuscript copies that exist of Piers Plowman.
3. Because Piers Plowman became a well-known work in its day, it is likely that the similarities between it and House of Fame were detected by many of the people who read House of Fame soon after Chaucer wrote it.
4. Many of the themes and structures of Piers Plowman are also found in Latin, Italian, French works with which Chaucer could well have been familiar.
5. There is no evidence that Chaucer and Langland ever met or that they corresponded with each other about literary topics.

Correct Answer: D
Explanation:

The GMAT's critical reasoning portion will evaluate your capacity for analysis and critical thought. A person needs to have high cognitive abilities to respond clearly.
To reach a decision, each option must be critically examined. Of the five options provided, only one will be accurate. The candidate must evaluate many factors to make the best decision.
Let’s check the given choices -

A: Incorrect

It is an incorrect choice. One of Langland's best-known works is Piers Plowman, whereas Chaucer's House of Fame is a lesser-known piece. Work of all sizes is irrelevant to us. A small piece of labor might not always be influential. Hence this choice is eliminated.

B: Incorrect

It is the wrong choice. Only three manuscript copies of House of Fame remain, which is significantly fewer than the number of manuscript copies that exist for Piers Plowman. Fewer copies are not evidence that the work was affected. This choice is eliminated.

C: Incorrect

It is an incorrect answer. Only three manuscript copies of House of Fame remain, which is significantly fewer than the number of manuscript copies that exist for Piers Plowman. Less copies are not evidence that the work was affected.

D: Correct

It is the correct answer. This demonstrates that Chaucer may not have drawn inspiration exclusively from "Piers Plowman" poetry, but rather from themes and structures found in literature in other languages. The finest option available despite being slightly weaker. This is not a proper response, in my opinion, because Chaucer did mention that the works of "Piers Plowman" may have been translated into other languages. However, this is the only option we have that is the best fit.

E: Incorrect

It is an incorrect choice. There is no proof that Chaucer and Langland ever interacted or wrote to one another regarding literature. It is not necessary to correspond or meet in person to be impacted by literary subjects. It doesn't assist us. Hence this choice is eliminated.

“There are many structural and thematic similarities between Piers Plowman” – is a  GMAT Critical question. To answer the question, a candidate can either find a piece of evidence that would weaken the argument or have logical flaws in the argument. GMAT critical reasoning tests the logical and analytical skills of the candidates. This topic requires candidates to find the argument's strengths and weaknesses or the logical flaw in the argument. The GMAT CR section contains 10 -13 GMAT critical reasoning questions out of 36 GMAT verbal questions.

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