Description

Offers us a glimpse into the life and mind of Medieval England. This is a masterly collection of chivalric romances, moral allegories and low farce.

Geoffrey Chaucer was born in London in about 1342, and is known as ‘the father of English Literature’. He rose in royal employment to become a knight of the shire for Kent and a justice of the peace, and was well-read in several languages and on many topics, such as astronomy, medicine, physics and alchemy. His works include The Canterbury Tales, Troilus and Criseyde and The Parliament of Fowles. He died in 1400 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (translated by Nevill Coghill)

If you’re an enthusiast of Renaissance literature, go for it. Stories ranging from spiritual to social culture.
I’ve read this after having Decameron by Boccaccio (Tales of Decameron, Penguin Classics). Was concerned if I would be able to grasp such a long poem, but timely finished it 🙂 and it was great experience.

1. Consists of 24 tales in poetry from including prologue to each.
2. Translation was easy for me to digest except few stories which are full of medieval english words.
3. Many a stories are incomplete without any hints.
4. 3 stories are, what I say, is same to same as tales from Decameron.
5. I loved the Knight’s Tale the most.

Interested of medieval literature, go for it.