Canterbury Tales (The)

Geoffrey Chaucer

Published in:  
c1400

Join a diverse group of pilgrims on their journey to Canterbury as they entertain and outwit each other with stories ranging from the comic to the tragic. This medieval tapestry weaves a rich portrait of life, love, morality in a distant and remarkably familiar world.

Essence of the Story

• A diverse group of pilgrims assembles at the Tabard Inn in Southwark, near London, preparing for pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury. To entertain each other, they decide that each person will tell two tales on the way to Canterbury and two on the way back.

• As they journey towards Canterbury, pilgrims share their tales, including a knight, a miller, a wife, a friar, and many others. These stories span various themes, genres, and moral lessons, reflecting the storyteller's personal background and societal role.

• While "The Canterbury Tales" doesn't have a traditional conclusion, since Chaucer never finished the planned number of stories for each pilgrim, the work ends after the Parson's moralistic tale and Chaucer's retraction. In this retraction, he apologizes for any offence his tales might have caused and asks for prayers for his soul.

Overall, "The Canterbury Tales" remains a timeless exploration of human nature, societal structures, and the power of storytelling.

Summary

"The Canterbury Tales," penned by Geoffrey Chaucer in the late 14th century, is a compilation of stories told by a diverse group of pilgrims journeying from London to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury. Set within a framework of a storytelling contest proposed by their Host at the Tabard Inn, each pilgrim, representing various strata and professions of medieval society, shares tales that touch on themes from love and rivalry to morality and greed. Though intended to contain 120 tales, the work is incomplete, with only 24 stories, concluding with a didactic treatise by the Parson and Chaucer's retraction seeking forgiveness for any potential offences in his tales.

Overview

"The Canterbury Tales" is a collection of stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer towards the end of the 14th century. The tales are presented as part of a storytelling contest by pilgrims as they travel together from London to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral.

The narrative framework begins at the Tabard Inn in Southwark, where the Host proposes the storytelling contest to provide entertainment during the journey. Each pilgrim is to tell two tales on the way to Canterbury and two on the return journey. The one judged to have said the most entertaining tale will be treated to a meal by the other party members.

The pilgrims are a diverse group representing various classes and occupations of medieval society. Some of the most memorable include:

The Knight: A nobleman who tells a romantic tale about two friends in love with the same woman. The Miller: A robust and bawdy man who offers a humorous story about a deceived husband. The Wife of Bath: A well-traveled woman who speaks frankly about her multiple marriages and tells a tale about a knight's quest to discover what women truly want. The Pardoner: A corrupt church official who admits to deceiving people with fake relics yet delivers a moral tale about the dangers of greed. The Nun's Priest: Who tells a lively tale about a rooster, a fox, and the theme of flattery. The Friar, the Summoner, the Merchant, and others: Each of whom contributes their own stories, bringing in themes of love, betrayal, humour, and morality.

Though the premise of the storytelling contest proposes that each pilgrim will tell multiple tales (for a total of 120), the work is incomplete, and only 24 tales exist. The collection ends with the Parson's didactic treatise on the Seven Deadly Sins, followed by Chaucer's retraction, wherein he asks for forgiveness for any of his works that may offend and prays for the salvation of his soul.

Why it's classic

Written in the late 14th century, "The Canterbury Tales" is one of the earliest significant works written in Middle English rather than Latin, which was the norm. Its success helped popularize English as a legitimate language for literature.

The tales provide a broad cross-section of medieval English society, representing a variety of classes, professions, and personalities. Through the pilgrims and their tales, Chaucer offers an entertaining collection of stories and a detailed, nuanced portrait of his time's societal norms and issues.

Chaucer's storytelling prowess is evident in the rich diversity of tales, which range from courtly romance to bawdy fabliaux. The work is noted for its characterization, humour, and insightful commentary on human nature.

Meet the Author

Geoffrey Chaucer, often called the "Father of English Literature," was pivotal in developing English literary tradition during the 14th century. Born into a family of London-based vintners around 1343, Chaucer wore many hats: he was a courtier, diplomat, and civil servant, but he's best celebrated as a poet and author. His magnum opus, "The Canterbury Tales," is renowned for its keen portrayal of medieval English society across various classes and professions. By choosing to write in Middle English rather than the prevailing literary Latin or French, Chaucer significantly contributed to the rise of English vocabulary as a legitimate medium for literature, thus laying the groundwork for future English writers.

Author's Memorable Quotes

Geoffrey Chaucer's vast work has given English literature many memorable lines. While the term "most famous" can be subjective, the following are three frequently cited quotations from Chaucer's works:

• "Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote / The droghte of March hath perced to the roote," - From "The Canterbury Tales," specifically "The General Prologue." This is the opening line, marking the pilgrimage's beginning and heralding spring's arrival.

• "All good things must come to an end." - While this expression is now a commonly used idiom in English, its origins can be traced back to Chaucer. The original line from his poem, "Troilus and Criseyde," reads: "But at the laste, as everything hath ende, / She took her leave."

• "The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne." - From "The Parliament of Fowls." This line reflects on the brevity of life compared to the time it takes to master a skill or craft.

It's worth noting that translations and interpretations of Middle English can vary, so the exact wording of Chaucer's lines might differ depending on the source.

One More Thing...

One of the tales within "The Canterbury Tales" is told by a character named the "Wife of Bath." This character is particularly notable because she's one of the earliest feminist voices in English literature. The Wife of Bath is open about her multiple marriages and enjoyment of love and sex, challenging the societal norms of the time. In her prologue, longer than her actual tale, she uses biblical and real-life examples to argue against the prevailing views on virginity and marriage, assertively positioning herself against the male scholars of her time. This made her one of Chaucer's collection's most discussed and debated characters.