With their astonishing diversity of tone and subject matter, The Canterbury Tales have become one of the touchstones of medieval literature. Translated here into modern English, these tales of a motley crowd of pilgrims drawn from all walks of life—from knight to nun, miller to monk—reveal a picture of English life in the fourteenth century that is as robust as it is representative.
‘Nevill Coghill’s easy, seductive translation ensures that this, the most popular work in English Literature – now 600 years old – will run through yet more centuries, delighting yet more readers, shaping more writers’
Melvyn Bragg
The Canterbury Tales
Acknowledgments
Editor's Note
Chronolgy
Introduction
Further Reading
Chaucer's Language
A Note on the Tect
Abbreviations of the Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales
Fragment I (Group A)
The General Prologue
The Knight's Tale
The Miller's Prologue and Tale
The Reeve's Prologue and Tale
The Cook's Prologue and Tale
Fragment II (Group B)
The Man of Law's Prologue, Tale and Epilogue
Fragment III (Group D)
The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
The Friar's Prologue and Tale
The Summoner's Prologue and Tale
Fragment IV (Group E)
The Clerk's Prologue and Tale
The Merchant's Prologue, Tale and Epilogue
Fragment V (Group F)
The Squire's Prologue and Tale
The Squire-Franklin Link, the Franklin's Prologue and Tale
Fragment VI (Group C)
The Physician's Tale
The Physicia-Pardoner Link, The Pardoner's Prologue and Tale
Fragment VII (Group B)
The Shipman's Tale
The Shipman-Prioress Link, The Prioress's Prologue and Tale
The Prioress-Sir Thopas Link and Sir Thopas
The Thopas-Melibee Link and the Tale of Melibee
The Monk's Prologue and Tale
The Nun's Priest's Prologue, Tale and Epilogue
Fragment VIII (Group G)
The Second Nun's Prologue and Tale
The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue and Tale
Fragment IX (Group H)
The Manciple's Prologue and Tale
Fragment X (Group I)
The Parson's Prologue and Tale
Chaucer's Retractions
Abbrviated References
Notes
Glossary
