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    Selected Canterbury Tales
    Selected Canterbury Tales
    Selected Canterbury Tales
    Ebook219 pages3 hours

    Selected Canterbury Tales

    By Geoffrey Chaucer

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    About this ebook

    At the Tabard Inn in Southwark, in the London of the late 1300s, a band of men and women from all walks of life have gathered to begin a pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas à Becket at Canterbury. To relieve the tedium of the journey, the host of the inn proposes that each of the pilgrims tell a favorite story, promising that the best storyteller will be treated to a fi ne dinner on the group's return to Southwark.
    So begins one of the earliest masterpieces of English literature, a collection of stories as much prized for the portraits of its story tellers as for the stories they tell — portraits that reveal much of the rich social fabric of 14th-century England. Now three of the most popular tales — along with the charming General Prologue have been selected for this edition: The Knight's Tale, The Miller's Prologue and Tale, and The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale.
    Animated by Chaucer's sly humor, flair for characterization and wise humanity, the stories have been recast into modern verse that captures the lively spirit of the originals. Highly entertaining, they represent an excellent entree to the rest of The Canterbury Tales and to the pleasures of medieval poetry in general. A selection of the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDover Publications
    Release dateFeb 29, 2012
    ISBN9780486110790
    Selected Canterbury Tales
    Author

    Geoffrey Chaucer

    Often referred to as the father of English poetry, Geoffrey Chaucer was a fourteenth-century philosopher, alchemist, astrologer, bureaucrat, diplomat, and author of many significant poems. Chaucer’s writing was influential in English literary tradition, as it introduced new rhyming schemes and helped develop the vernacular tradition—the use of everyday English—rather than the literary French and Latin, which were common in written works of the time. Chaucer’s best-known—and most imitated—works include The Canterbury Tales, Troilus and Criseyde, The Book of the Duchess, and The House of Fame.

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    Reviews for Selected Canterbury Tales

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    • 2/5
      Zeer ongelijkmatig; sommige verhalen zitten met haken en ogen in elkaar, andere zijn pareltjes.Steken er bovenuit: ridder,vrouw uit Bath, klerk, grondbezitter, aflaatkramer, nonnenpriester.Wel mooie psychologische tekening.
    • 4/5
      I could listen to and read this repeatedly and still find more to love I think.
    • 2/5
      Zeer ongelijkmatig; sommige verhalen zitten met haken en ogen in elkaar, andere zijn pareltjes.Steken er bovenuit: ridder,vrouw uit Bath, klerk, grondbezitter, aflaatkramer, nonnenpriester.Wel mooie psychologische tekening.
    • 4/5
      This particular translation proved to be an easier read than I had expected. A little of the flow feels like it has been sacrificed in favor of readability, but that didn't bother me- rather, I enjoyed the chance to read the stories without having to over-think the poetry. I always have my older editions for the times when the beauty of the language is more important to me than the stories!
    • 4/5
      The narrator of this audiobook bumped this book from a 3.5 to a 4 star rating. David Cutler had an excellent grasp of the Old English and helped the poetry flow smoothly. I was able to enjoy the bawdy humor and misogynistic views of womanly virtues". It is always interesting to read what was considered important in our past and Chaucer definitely wrote as a man of the times. He did occasionally get a few knocks in for the women, though. It was fun re-reading these tales now that I don't have to analyze them for a term paper."
    • 3/5
      I've recently read several interesting short story collections from antiquity, namely The Canterbury Tales, Arabian Nights, and Ovid's Metamorphoses. Each of them has inspired enough academic articles to fill a library, so I'm not going to delve into their historical import or the ways each has influenced future literature, but I think its valuable to consider how they compare to each other in approach and how I saw them as stories.

      First, The Canterbury Tales. Chaucer's unfinished collection provides a great window into what life was like in the middle ages, more specifically England in the 1300s. By providing a diverse cast of story tellers as the vehicles for the stories themselves Chaucer is able to explore many professions and various points on the social hierarchy, satirizing and criticizing all the flaws he saw in his society. To an extent these are interesting, but social satire does not always age well. While it certainly gives you a sense of how England looked through Chaucer's eyes (a den of corruption and hypocrisy for the most part, especially when discussing the religious institutions), it can be hit or miss as to whether the critique has aged well. Critique on chivalry in The Knight's Tale? I'm in. Critique of alchemists wherein pages and pages of ingredients are listed? Yawn. Additionally, the majority of the tales aren't that deep, with many being raunchy stories of pure entertainment and others being morality tales with blatantly obvious messages (pride is bad and fortune is fickle, we get it). The message of one tale was flat out stated to be "beware of treachery." Was there someone at the time going around saying "treachery isn't that bad, don't worry about it?"

      In reverse chronological order the next up is Arabian Nights. This collection is amorphous enough that many tales pop up in one edition and not another, which in my opinion weakens the arguments I see about the collection having a set of coherent themes or messages. The sole theme that I found to be consistent was the power of storytelling- it appears in the frame narrative, of course, but also the stories themselves often showcase the ability of stories to trick the powerful, and oftentimes stories lead to sub-stories and so on, like nesting dolls. Toward the end of the collection the descriptions began to get to me: if I never see someone described as being "as beautiful as the moon" with "lips like coral" and other features like various gems I'll be a happy reader. The Norton Critical addition showed its worth by providing many additional pieces inspired by the Arabian Nights, as well as critical analyses of the text (some of which I found less than convincing, but always interesting). More so than the other two collections Arabian Nights just struck me as a bunch of stories, many of which of course were intended to edify, but mostly its purpose was to entertain. It more or less accomplished this.

      The earliest, and also the best, of the three collections was Ovid's Metamorphoses. Chaucer references the classic explicitly several times in his work, and it's no wonder: Ovid is the master that Chaucer tried and failed to match. What put this collection above the others for me was that Ovid not only had a consistent theme to the stories (transformations, as the title would suggest), but also stories flow from one to the next, mostly with an organic feeling that makes the work take on a grander scale. Ovid's not just telling stories, he's tracing the history of the world, explaining how the world became populated with the birds and plants and animals that fill it, and connecting the past all up to what was then the present day. It also serves as the source for much of what we know of Greek/Roman mythology, as Ovid was also setting down an account of the actions and behavior of the gods. Framing narratives can be used to great effect, just look at If On a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino for a phenomenal example, but Canterbury Tales creates such a framing narrative only to leave it incomplete, and Arabian Nights slowly siphons away the importance of the frame narrative until it is forgotten entirely. In comparison, Ovid's Metamorphoses connection of his tales makes his work stand on a grander scale, and makes it feel like a more coherent whole. A note on translations, I found Charles Martin's work to be very strong in general, although he makes a few bizarre choices. Translating a singing contest into a rap battle was a clear mistake. Overall, though, I feel confident recommending him so long as you want a more modern take on the text.

      All three collections have stood the test of time, and each is an essential read to understand the ages and cultures they arose out of. Between the three of them, though, Ovid's Metamorphoses is the most worthy of your time in my opinion.
    • 3/5
      The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories told by pilgrims in Medieval England who are going to pray at Canterbury Cathedral. Chaucer uses characters from all aspects of the society - knights, merchants, tradesmen, religious - allowing the human nature to be revealed where the 7 Deadly Sins (pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, lust) are counterbalanced by virtues (humility, contentment, patience, fortitude, mercy, moderation, chastity).The tales at times were a bit boring while others were funny and a bit lewd. There were love stories, morality tales, fables, and satires. The characters each seem to have a quality that added something to their story.Sometime I may try to find a translation in Modern English and see if I enjoy the stories more.
    • 5/5
      This beautiful old volume was sadly printed in the worst of times. Even though I've been careful in its storage, and in handling, the dreaded acidity is catching up with the paper. I imagine that in perhaps another 50 years, the pages will be completely yellowed and crumbly, and it'll be gone. This volume is written in the original English (the East Midland dialect, according to Untermeyer's excellent introduction) of the day, with an excellent glossary at the end (but beginning, I suspect, to be less than helpful, nearly 100 years after publication).His stories give insight into the day to day lives of people in his time (the 1300s), and he wrote in a manner that is still lively and readable today.
    • 3/5
      From the mind-numbingly boring Monk's Tale to the spirited Wife of Bath, these tales seemed to be either really good or really dull. I was able to follow the language (for the most part) once I went through the Prologue with a fine-tooth comb looking up every unfamiliar word. After that, I had the hang of it. I'm glad I read it, but I doubt that I'll ever read it again.
    • 4/5
      This particular translation proved to be an easier read than I had expected. A little of the flow feels like it has been sacrificed in favor of readability, but that didn't bother me- rather, I enjoyed the chance to read the stories without having to over-think the poetry. I always have my older editions for the times when the beauty of the language is more important to me than the stories!
    • 5/5
      Oh, the treasure of finding and holding a shopworn copy of Chaucer's tales in my hands is just too much for words. His tales are not just downright funny, but they can be applied even today to the people we work with, live with, and play with on a daily basis. In fact, I kept laughing every time I read another tale that was a ringer for someone I knew. The classics hold up well, don't they?


      Book Season = Sping ("when the sweet showers of April fall and shoot")
    • 4/5
      Fun reads but a bit eclectic in a chaotic sense.
    • 5/5
      Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales consists of a collection of stories framed as being told during a pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral. Each in this company of about 30 pilgrims is to tell a tale on the journey there--the one judged to have told the best to get a free meal. In structure, and sometimes even in the content of the stories, this resembles the Italian Decameron by Boccaccio, written over a century before which Chaucer probably read. One of the differences is that while the Decameron is prose, most of The Canterbury Tales is in verse. But I think what really distinguishes it in my mind is the cross-section of English Medieval society Chaucer presents. Boccacio's storytellers were young members of Florence nobility, Chaucer on the other hand has people from all levels of society: a knight and his squire, a prioress, friar, parson, canon, priests, nuns and a monk, various professions, tradesmen and artisans, a merchant, cook, physician etc. Each tale has a content and style that matches the teller. The most memorable passages to me are the little portraits of the various pilgrims, especially the Wife of Bath. Which is not to say the individual stories don't have their pleasures; some are dull and long-winded, but quite a few are vivid, funny, and/or bawdy. I especially remember "The Shipman's Tale" with its pun on "double entry" bookkeeping, and "The Knight's Tale" was adapted by Shakespeare into Two Noble Kinsman. Purists and scholars will want to suffer through Chaucer's original Middle English. It can, with difficulty and frustration, be made out by the modern reader. Here's the opening:Whan that aprill with his shoures sooteThe droghte of march hath perced to the roote,And bathed every veyne in swich licourOf which vertu engendred is the flour;Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breethInspired hath in every holt and heethTendre croppes, and the yonge sonneHath in the ram his halve cours yronne,And smale foweles maken melodye,That slepen al the nyght with open ye(so priketh hem nature in hir corages);Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimagesMore power to you if you choose to do so. But if you're looking to enjoy yourself and read with understanding without constantly referring to footnotes, sacrilege though it may be, you might want to try one of the translations into Modern English such as those by Nevill Coghill, Colin Wilcockson or David Wright.
    • 5/5
      The pleasure of this book lies in the double bonus of the ever green stories of Chaucer together with the wonderful selection of illustrations drawn from contemporary, medieval illuminated manuscripts. I know that Cresset is a publisher for the mass market but this edition is particularly attractive and I think very collectable. There is an excellent introduction by John Wain and an apposite foreword by Melvyn Bragg while the text is Chaucer but with old English given an understandable and very readable translation by the great Chaucer authority, Nevill Coghill. This particular volume is not a text for university study but is a volume for pleasurable and bedtime reading. It returns me to the humour and the wisdom of Chaucer and reminds me that there are so many English expression from Chaucer which we still use today - for example, keeping mum, or many a true word said in jest, or rotten apples spoiling all in the barrel. We are reminded of the richness of the English language, the debt we owe to Chaucer and the freshness of these 14th century tales. This particular edition is worth acquiring ( readily available) and adding to one's book treasures. It is a very beautiful book. The illustrations are well matched to the text and repay close study. If you have never read Chaucer or if you read Chaucer as a chore, take another look and give yourself the treat of a classic of literature in a lovely format.
    • 5/5
      Always entertaining. I loved reading this the first time and I always enjoy going back over a tale or two for a chuckle.
    • 4/5
      While The Canterbury Tales is very well-known by its title, it is probably not that widely read. It is a collection of 20 stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century. Apart from a few exceptions these tales are written in verse. This review is based on my reading of the Modern English translation by Nevill Coghill.The Canterbury Tales are a story-telling contest by a group of people on their way from Southwark to Canterbury Cathedral: It happened in that season that one day
      In Southwark, at The Tabard, as I lay
      Ready to go on pilgrimage and start
      For Canterbury, most devout at heart,
      At night there came into that hostelry
      Some nine and twenty in a company
      Of sundry folk happening then to fall
      In fellowship, and they were pilgrims all
      That towards Canterbury meant to ride.
      (quoted from The Prologue)This "sundry folk" includes, among others, a knight, a miller, a reeve, a cook, a prioress, a monk, a clerk, a merchant, a physician, a pardoner and a parson. Probably also known to many is The Wife of Bath.As it is hard to review such a large collection of stories I will concentrate on the one that impressed me most, which was 'The Miller's Tale'. Following a story of courtly love told by the kinght, 'The Miller's Tale' relates a story of a carpenter who is fooled by his clerks who have sex with the carpenter's wife. What I especially liked about this story is the topic, which is talked about very openly for a 14th century work. What is more, the miller does a magnificent job in telling his tale after he had just told the rest of the group of pilgrims that he was drunk and not to be held acoountable for the story. 'The Miller's Tale' is followed by 'The Reeve's Tale' in which great offense is expressed at the miller's story as the reeve had been a carpenter himself once. This can be seen as an example of the structure of The Canterbury Tales: A story insulting a particular group of persons or a particular trade is usually followed by a response from the offended who tell a tale on their own to set matters right or get back at the previous speaker.While 'The Miller's Tale' is just one of many stories in The Canterbury Tales it is somewhat representative of what I liked about the book. First, there is the structure that greatly contributes to the overall reading pleasure. Second, there are the tales themselves, which are very entertaining, especially keeping in mind the fact that they were written at the end of the 14th century. To my mind, The Canterbury Tales is a classic that is still highly appealing to 21st century readers. On the whole, 4 stars for a great reading experience.
    • 3/5
      Wow! Almost readable in original English after 660 years. Irreverent & ebullient.Read Samoa Nov 2003
    • 5/5
      I love the Canterbury Tales. I took an entire class dedicated to the study of this beautiful piece of work. What I love about this collection of tales is that there is something for everyone; tons of dirty humor, some love stories, tragic stories, morality stories, animal fables, a satire on chivalry tales, poetry...

      There are over 20 individual stories, some that were unfortunately left unfinished. Each tale is told by a different person in this group of pilgrims making their way to Canterbury Cathedral. They are all from different walks of life; there is a Knight, a squire, a scholar, a prioress, a priest, a pardoner, etc. They decide to tell stories in order to pass the time as they travel.

      For those who are not used to Middle English is that you can read one at a time and/or skip around (after you read the General Prologue), and though you may miss a few things about the actual pilgrimage (some of the story tellers argue and whatnot), the tales themselves are still very enjoyable.

      I suggest finding a copy that has both the original spelling and the Middle English spelling in order to enjoy the full impact of the language even if you are not a Middle English expert.

      It is a delightful collection of tales! I wish more people would read and enjoy them!
    • 3/5
      Read in a Penguin Classics translation from the 50s, this is a re-read for me. I last read this approaching 20 years ago when I needed distracting on a long haul flight. And having read it again, I can see why it did it's job! It's not exactly an easy read, it demands attention and concentration - no skimming here. but it rewards the attention with some classic pieces of story telling. The concept was enormous, each of the pilgrims (and there are approaching 30 identified) were to tell two tales. He didn't even get as far as one tale each, the work remains unfinished, but some of the stories are just sparkling studies of human nature even now. A lot of the stories are relayed as if the pilgrim is telling a story they have heard elsewhere, so a lot of them can be traced to other sources - there's little in the narrative arc that is original. What is all Chaucer is the linking passages, the representation of all of life in one group. They are a mixture of positions in life and it is noticeable that the ladies represented in the group and in the tales tend to be very strong females - very few shrinking violets here. For his time, that strikes me as noticeable. The introduction, when the pilgrims are introduces, could be (with a little tweaking) any group of random strangers you could gather together today. OK, there are a few more religious job titles then than now (they'd be bankers or management consultants now) but they're such an assorted bunch that they seem to spring to life as you read. I think that's part of the charm, this is the English at the birth of a national consciousness - these are my people, this is part of what makes us who we are.
    • 4/5
      I actually reread this in my copy of the Norton Critical edition, which is very good, with glosses, notes, and a lot of supplementary material. Unfortunately, you can't put two read dates in, so. Here we go.

      I decided to reread The Canterbury Tales because a) I've read Troilus and Criseyde twice now, and loved it, and b) I had to look at the Wife of Bath's tale as a Gawain romance. Gawain is always going to be a draw for me, so I settled down to read it. I find it frustrating, in its unfinished and uncertain nature -- which tale responds to which, are we supposed to connect this tale with this part, etc -- but I did enjoy it a lot more this time. The different stories and styles display Chaucer's versatility as a writer, of course, and I found most of them fascinating in their own right. I have a special fondness for the Franklin's Tale, because I studied that and reading it again after some time away (and after earning my degree!) taught me so much more about it.

      I still prefer Troilus and Criseyde, and I still wish people could come to artists like Shakespeare and Chaucer in their own time instead of as a chore, as homework. But still! I appreciate The Canterbury Tales a lot more now.
    • 5/5
      I suppose this is my own Ulysses. Canterbury Tales is certainly one of those books, like Ulysses or Proust or Golden Bowl, that no one's actually read or if they have they hated it or if they didn't they're lying because they think it'll impress you. But I took a whole class on this in college and I had this terrific professor, and she showed me how awesome this is. Really, it's a heap of fun. Are you impressed?
    • 4/5
      Mark Twain said something like: "Classics are books you think you ought to read, but never do." Well, I am glad I put in the hours to listen to this book, but I cannot say I enjoyed much of it. Partially, it was the narration--some of the accents used were simply impossible--and partially it was boredom that set in when discussing theology that is so far from my own. Still, it is part of the "canon" and as such, it is good to be a bit more literate today than I was yesterday....
    • 4/5
      This is a wonderful book. It took me some time to get into the book, because I am not that used anymore to this style of writing. However, when you get into the meat of the book, you will be amazed at the amazing variety of styles in the book. There are a multitude of characters. The stories cover a wide range, from the raunchy to the spiritual, to the boring. The style in which each story is told matches the story teller, and matches the story. It is astounding to come across such range in one book. Apart from the sheer brilliance of the writing, I think the book does give us a glimpse into the England of the times. This book is a must read
    • 5/5
      This is a very approachable translation of The Canterbury Tales. Many of my students still struggle with reading Chaucer in translation (at least with the translation in our anthology); however, this translation seems more approachable for my college students.
    • 3/5
      One of my English teachers had a penchant for making his students memorize passages from certain books. Thanks to him, I will forever have the first few lines of the prologue memorized. It randomly pops into my head in lilting Middle English, and I find myself repeating, "Whan that aprill with his shoures soote, the droghte of march hath perced to the roote, and bathed every veyne in switch licour..."
    • 4/5
      The whole idea of the Canterbury Tales is very cool, and I certainly enjoy reading the different stories and poetry, but I find that I don't actually -like- most of the stories. They all follow a distinct pattern and are either crude and tragic or just plain tragic.
    • 4/5
      This is one of the best translations of Chaucer that I've read. And, having been an English major, I've read quite a few versions of Chaucer's stories. It makes a huge difference having a poet translate, I think. Raffel does an excellent job in maintaining the poetic integrity of the work while making it readable for modern readers.I have heard many friends complain about how boring The Canterbury Tales is. I admit, there are some stories that are impossibly long-winded. (I'm thinking of the Parson's Tale here.) However, there are a few classics in here, such as the Wife of Bath's Tale, and the Knight's Tale. No matter what, it's amazing to see how each of these stories continues to be meaningful and have relevance to audiences today. There is something in every story that we can still see in today's world. Promiscuity, cheating, marriage, friendship, religion, etc. Chaucer covers it all.If you're going to pick and choose, however, I think the funny ones are the best. There is some merit in the others, but Chaucer is at his finest when writes humor. He's sarcastic, clever, and gloriously irreverent. And he's not above a good fart joke. I'm not sure that can be taken as a sign of a brilliant writer, but Chaucer is one of the greatest.Overall, I think classics are classics for a reason. The status of The Canterbury Tales is rightly deserved. Chaucer is undeniably clever and funny and brings up a lot of issues that are still worth thinking about. I think everyone should sit down and read this one; just be prepared for poetry, not prose, and know that it won't be a fast read. But it will be worth it.*I was given a free copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers' Program in exchange for an honest review.*
    • 4/5
      The premise behind Chaucer's tale is really quite simple: out of a group of pilgrims traveling to Canterbury Cathedral, who can tell the best tale? Whoever wins gets a free meal at the Tabard Inn at the end of the journey. Most of the stories center around three themes, religion, fidelity and social class.
    • 3/5
      -The Canterbury Tales are told by people on a pilgrimage in medieval England (the tales are set in various places) and deal with the themes of love and morality.-29 people on their way to Canterbury tell various tales to be rewarded at the end of their journeyCharacters: Knight- chivalrous, modest; Squire- gay, romantic; Yeoman- forester; Prioress- false elegance, proper; Monk- manly, wealthy; Friar- well-dressed, wanton; Merchant- flaunting dress, in debt; Clerk- poor, learned; Sergeant of Law- wise, "busy"; Franklin- son of Epicurus; Cook- had ulcer, special chicken soup; Shipman- crafty, no conscience; Doctor- dealt in astronomy, gold; Wife of Bath- 5 husbands, weaver, gossip; Parson- devout, poor; Plowman- faithful; Miller- brawny, ribald; Munciple- purchase supplies, wealthy; Reeve- cheated master, feared; Summoner- devilish, fond of wine; Pardoner- long haired, avaricious; Host- manlyCharacteristics: multiple storiesResponse: I found it enjoyable and entertaining considering it was medieval literature
    • 4/5
      Maybe one day I'll read ALL of the tales. Not today.

    Book preview

    Selected Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer

    FROM THE GENERAL PROLOGUE¹

    HERE BYGYNNETH THE BOOK OF THE TALES OF CAUNTERBURY

    WHAN that Aprille with his shoures soote

    The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,

    And bathed every veyne in swich licour,

    Of which vertu engendred is the flour;

    Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth

    Inspired hath in every holt and heeth

    The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne

    Hath in the Ram his halfe cours yronne,

    And smale foweles maken melodye,

    That slepen al the nyght with open eye,

    So priketh hem nature in hir corages;

    Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,

    And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,

    To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;

    And specially, from every shires ende

    Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,

    The hooly blisful martir for to seke,

    That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.

    Bifil that in that seson on a day,

    In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay,

    Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage

    To Caunterbury with ful devout corage,

    At nyght were come into that hostelrye

    Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye,

    Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle

    In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle,

    That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde.

    The chambres and the stables weren wyde,

    And wel we weren esed atte beste.

    And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste,

    So hadde I spoken with hem everichon

    That I was of hir felaweshipe anon,

    And made forward erly for to ryse,

    To take oure wey ther as I yow devyse.

    THE GENERAL PROLOGUE

    HERE BEGINS THE BOOK OF THE TALES OF CANTERBURY

    WHEN APRIL with his showers sweet with fruit

    The drought of March has pierced unto the root

    And bathed each vein with liquor that has power

    To generate therein and sire the flower;

    When Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath,

    Quickened again, in every holt and heath,

    The tender shoots and buds, and the young sun

    Into the Ram one half his course has run,

    And many little birds make melody

    That sleep through all the night with open eye

    (So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage) —

    Then do folk long to go on pilgrimage,

    And palmers to go seeking out strange strands,

    To distant shrines well known in sundry lands.

    And specially from every shire’s end

    Of England they to Canterbury wend,

    The holy blessed martyr² there to seek

    Who helped them when they lay so ill and weak.

    Befell that, in that season, on a day

    In Southwark, at the Tabard, as I lay

    Ready to start upon my pilgrimage

    To Canterbury, full of devout homage,

    There came at nightfall to that hostelry

    Some nine and twenty in a company

    Of sundry persons who had chanced to fall

    In fellowship, and pilgrims were they all

    That toward Canterbury town would ride.

    The rooms and stables spacious were and wide,

    And well we there were eased, and of the best.

    And briefly, when the sun had gone to rest,

    So had I spoken with them, every one,

    That I was of their fellowship anon,

    And made agreement that we’d early rise

    To take the road, as you I will apprise.

    But none the less, whilst I have time and space,

    Before yet farther in this tale I pace,

    It seems to me accordant with reason

    To inform you of the state of every one

    Of all of these, as it appeared to me,

    And who they were, and what was their degree,

    And even how arrayed there at the inn;

    And with a knight thus will I first begin.

    The Knight

    A knight there was, and he a worthy man,

    Who, from the moment that he first began

    To ride about the world, loved chivalry,

    Truth, honour, freedom and all courtesy.

    Full worthy was he in his liege-lord’s war,

    And therein had he ridden (none more far)

    As well in Christendom as heathenesse,

    And honoured everywhere for worthiness.

    At Alexandria, he, when it was won;

    Full oft the table’s roster he’d begun

    Above all nations’ knights in Prussia.

    In Latvia raided he, and Russia,

    No christened man so oft of his degree.

    In far Granada at the siege was he

    Of Algeciras, and in Belmarie.³

    At Ayas was he and at Satalye⁴

    When they were won; and on the Middle Sea

    At many a noble meeting chanced to be.

    Of mortal battles he had fought fifteen,

    And he’d fought for our faith at Tramissene⁵

    Three times in lists, and each time slain his foe.

    This self-same worthy knight had been also

    At one time with the lord of Palatye⁶

    Against another heathen in Turkey:

    And always won he sovereign fame for prize.

    Though so illustrious, he was very wise

    And bore himself as meekly as a maid.

    He never yet had any vileness said,

    In all his life, to whatsoever wight.

    He was a truly perfect, gentle knight.

    But now, to tell you all of his array,

    His steeds were good, but yet he was not gay.

    Of simple fustian wore he a jupon⁷

    Sadly discoloured by his habergeon;⁸

    For he had lately come from his voyage

    And now was going on this pilgrimage.

    The Squire

    With him there was his son, a youthful squire,

    A lover and a lusty bachelor,

    With locks well curled, as if they’d laid in press.

    Some twenty years of age he was, I guess.

    In stature he was of an average length,

    Wondrously active, aye, and great of strength.

    He’d ridden sometime with the cavalry

    In Flanders, in Artois, and Picardy,

    And borne him well within that little space

    In hope to win thereby his lady’s grace.

    Prinked⁹ out he was, as if he were a mead,

    All full of fresh-cut flowers white and red.

    Singing he was, or fluting, all the day;

    He was as fresh as is the month of May.

    Short was his gown, with sleeves both long and wide.

    Well could he sit on horse, and fairly ride.

    He could make songs and words thereto indite,

    Joust, and dance too, as well as sketch and write.

    So hot he loved that, while night told her tale,

    He slept no more than does a nightingale.

    Courteous he, and humble, willing and able,

    And carved before his father at the table.

    The Yeoman

    A yeoman had he,¹⁰ nor more servants, no,

    At that time, for he chose to travel so;

    And he was clad in coat and hood of green.

    A sheaf of peacock arrows bright and keen

    Under his belt he bore right carefully

    (Well could he keep his tackle yeomanly:

    His arrows had no draggled feathers low),

    And in his hand he bore a mighty bow.

    A cropped head had he and a sun-browned face.

    Of woodcraft knew he all the useful ways.

    Upon his arm he bore a bracer gay,

    And at one side a sword and buckler, yea,

    And at the other side a dagger bright,

    Well sheathed and sharp as spear point in the light;

    On breast a Christopher¹¹ of silver sheen.

    He bore a horn in baldric¹² all of green;

    A forester he truly was, I guess.

    The Prioress

    There was also a nun, a prioress,

    Who, in her smiling, modest was and coy;

    Her greatest oath was but By Saint Eloy!

    And she was known as Madam Eglantine.

    Full well she sang the services divine,

    Intoning through her nose, becomingly;

    And fair she spoke her French, and fluently,

    After the school of Stratford-at-the-Bow,

    For French of Paris was not hers to know.

    At table she had been well taught withal,

    And never from her lips let morsels fall,

    Nor dipped her fingers deep in sauce, but ate

    With so much care the food upon her plate

    That never driblet fell upon her breast.

    In courtesy she had delight and zest.

    Her upper lip was always wiped so clean

    That in her cup was no iota seen

    Of grease, when she had drunk her draught of wine.

    Becomingly she reached for meat to dine.

    And certainly delighting in good sport,

    She was right pleasant, amiable — in short.

    She was at pains to counterfeit the look

    Of courtliness, and stately manners took,

    And would be held worthy of reverence.

    But, to say something of her moral sense,

    She was so charitable and piteous

    That she would weep if she but saw a mouse

    Caught in a trap, though it were dead or bled.

    She had some little dogs, too, that she fed

    On roasted flesh, or milk and fine white bread.

    But sore she’d weep if one of them were dead,

    Or if men smote it with a rod to smart:

    For pity ruled her, and her tender heart.

    Right decorous her pleated wimple was;

    Her nose was fine; her eyes were blue as glass;

    Her mouth was small and therewith soft and red;

    But certainly she had a fair forehead;

    It was almost a full span broad, I own,

    For, truth to tell, she was not undergrown.

    Neat was her cloak, as I was well aware.

    Of coral small about her arm she’d bear

    A string of beads and gauded¹³ all with green;

    And therefrom hung a brooch of golden sheen

    Whereon there was first written a crowned A,

    And under, Amor vincit omnia.¹⁴

    The Nun

    Another little nun with her had she,

    The Three Priests

    Who was her chaplain; and of priests she’d three.

    The Monk

    A monk there was, one made for mastery,

    An outrider,¹⁵ who loved his venery;

    A manly man, to be an abbot able.

    Full many a blooded horse had he in stable:

    And when he rode men might his bridle hear

    A-jingling in the whistling wind as clear,

    Aye, and as loud as does the chapel bell

    Where this brave monk was master of the cell.

    The rule of Maurus or Saint Benedict,

    By reason it was old and somewhat strict,

    This said monk let such old things slowly pace

    And followed new-world manners in their place.

    He cared not for that text a clean-plucked hen

    Which holds that hunters are not holy men;

    Nor that a monk, when he is cloisterless,

    Is like unto a fish that’s waterless;

    That is to say, a monk out of his cloister.

    But this same text he held not worth an oyster;

    And I said his opinion was right good.

    What? Should he study as a madman would

    Upon a book in cloister cell? Or yet

    Go labour with his hands and swink¹⁶ and sweat,

    As Austin¹⁷ bids? How shall the world be served?

    Let Austin have his toil to him reserved.

    Therefore he was a rider day and night;

    Greyhounds he had, as swift as bird in flight.

    Since riding and the hunting of the hare

    Were all his love, for no cost would he spare.

    I saw his sleeves were purfled¹⁸ at the hand

    With fur of grey, the finest in the land;

    Also, to fasten hood beneath his chin,

    He had of good wrought gold a curious pin:

    A love-knot in the larger end there was.

    His head was bald and shone like any glass,

    And smooth as one anointed was his face.

    Fat was this lord, he stood in goodly case.

    His bulging eyes he rolled about, and hot

    They gleamed and red, like fire beneath a pot;

    His boots were soft; his horse of great estate.

    Now certainly he was a fine prelate:

    He was not pale as some poor wasted ghost.

    A fat swan loved he best of any roast.

    His palfrey¹⁹ was as brown as is a berry.

    The Friar

    A friar there was, a wanton and a merry,

    A limiter,²⁰ a very festive man.

    In all the Orders Four is none that can

    Equal his gossip and his fair language.

    He had arranged full many a marriage

    Of women young, and this at his own cost.

    Unto his order he was a noble post.²¹

    Well liked by all and intimate was he

    With franklins everywhere in his country,

    And with the worthy women of the town:

    For at confessing he’d more power in gown

    (As he himself said) than a good curate,

    For of his order he was licentiate.

    He heard confession gently, it was said,

    Gently absolved too, leaving naught of dread.

    He was an easy man to give penance

    When knowing he should gain a good pittance;

    For to a begging friar, money given

    Is sign that any man has been well shriven.

    For if one gave (he dared to boast of this),

    He took the man’s repentance not amiss.

    For many a man there is so hard of heart

    He cannot weep however pains may smart.

    Therefore, instead of weeping and of prayer,

    Men should give silver to poor friars all bare.

    His tippet²² was stuck always full of knives

    And pins, to give to young and pleasing wives.

    And certainly he kept a merry note:

    Well could he sing and play upon the rote.

    At balladry he bore the prize away.

    His throat was white as lily of the May;

    Yet strong he was as ever champion.

    In towns he knew the taverns, every one,

    And every good host and each

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