Chaucer's Canterbury Tales—witty, bawdy, zany, satirical, and literary. From the late medieval period on, Chaucer has been considered the "father of English poetry." Indeed, his Middle English verse electrified the day with its satire of English society. Writing in the later 14th century, he caused ripples with his bold move to write in the vernacular English instead of the expected literary Latin. With prophetic wisdom, he sensed the potential of English to absorb elements from many languages, making it the literary language of the future—opening the way for Shakespeare.
In the tales, a group of pilgrims bound for Canterbury Cathedral agree to pass the weary miles by taking turns at storytelling—and thus begins English literature's greatest collection of chivalric romances, bawdy tales, fables, legends, and other stories.
Table of Contents:
INTRODUCTION
GENERAL PROLOGUE OF THE CANTERBURY PILGRIMS
THE KNIGHT'S TALE: Palamon and Arcite
THE WIFE OF BATH'S TALE
THE PROLOGUE
THE TALE: The Loathly Lady
THE FRIAR'S TALE
THE PROLOGUE
THE TALE: The Devil and Summoner
THE CLERK'S TALE
THE PROLOGUE
THE TALE: Patient Griselda
THE FRANKLIN'S TALE
THE PROLOGUE
THE TALE: The Black Rocks of Brittany
CHAUCER'S RIME OF SIR TOPAS
THE PROLOGUE
The Rime of Sir Topas
THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE
THE PROLOGUE
THE TALE: Chanticleer and Pertelote
THE PARDONER'S TALE
THE PROLOGUE
THE TALE: The Three Thieves
THE CANON'S YEOMAN'S TALE
THE PROLOGUE
THE TALE: The False Alchemist
THE MANCIPLE'S TALE
THE PROLOGUE
THE TALE: How the Crow Became Black
THE MAN OF LAW'S TALE
THE PROLOGUE
THE TALE: The Calamaties of Constance
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