The Canterbury Tales

Description

Geoffrey Chaucer is widely considered to be the father of English literature. Having achieved fame in the Middle Ages as a writer of both prose and poetry, as well as through his scientific and philosophical knowledge, Chaucer became the first poet to be buried in Poets’ Corner at Westminster Abbey. Some of his most renowned works include The House of Fame, The Book of the Duchess and The Legend of Good Women.

What Chaucer is known for the most today, however, is his authorship of The Canterbury Tales. This is a series of 24 delightful and insightful stories, written both in verse and in prose, that were presented initially as part of a storytelling contest by pilgrims traveling together to Canterbury.

The stories are written in Middle English, and are included inside the frame tale of the pilgrims’ journey, as they seek to reach the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket found at the Canterbury Cathedral. Their themes vary greatly, from love and romance to tales of wisdom about avarice and greed. The characters and the narratives themselves hold remarkable cultural and historic value, while still remaining some of the most intriguing and well-presented works of fiction even more than six centuries after they were first published.

The Canterbury Tales are oftentimes lively and sometimes even surprisingly humorous. An undisputed work of genius written by a man well ahead of his time, they will enchant you through the vivid portrayal of situations, places and characters that have inspired many other writers of prose and poetry throughout the centuries to come.

Whether you have an interest for medieval society and its cultural values, are more drawn to the beauty and enchanting quality of the folklore and understanding of those times, or you just want to enjoy a few vibrant, fast-paced tales in Middle English, The Canterbury Tales will bring you what you seek.
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