Canterbury Tales (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) Read online

  Table of Contents

  From the Pages of The Canterbury Tales

  From the Pages of The Canterbury Tales

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Geoffrey Chaucer

  The World of Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales

  Introduction

  A Note on the Text and the Translation

  The General Prologue

  The General Prologue

  The Knightes Tale

  Part One

  The Knight’s Tale

  Part One

  Part Two

  Part Two

  Part Three

  Part Three

  Part Four

  Part Four

  The Milleres Tale

  The Prologue

  The Miller’s Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Tale

  The Reves Tale

  The Prologue

  The Reeve’s Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Tale

  The Tale of the Wyf of Bathe

  The Prologue

  The Wife of Bath’s Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Tale

  The Clerkes Tale

  The Prologue

  The Clerk’s Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Tale

  The Envoy

  The Envoy

  The Marchantes Tale

  The Prologue

  The Merchant’s Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Tale

  The Epilogue

  The Epilogue

  The Frankeleyns Tale

  The Introduction

  The Franklin’s Tale

  The Introduction

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Pardoners Tale

  The Introduction

  The Prologue

  The Pardoner’s Tale

  The Introduction

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Tale

  The Epilogue

  The Epilogue

  The Prioresses Tale

  The Prologue

  The Prioress’s Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Tale

  The Nonne Preestes Tale

  The Prologue

  The Nun’s Priest’s Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Tale

  The Epilogue

  The Epilogue

  The Chanouns Yemannes Tale

  The Prologue

  The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Tale

  The Freres Tale

  The Prologue

  The Friar’s Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Tale

  The Somnours Tale

  The Prologue

  The Summoner’s Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Tale

  The Tale of the Man of Lawe

  The Introduction

  The Man of Law’s Tale

  The Introduction

  The Prologue

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Tale

  The Maunciples Tale

  The Prologue

  The Manciple’s Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Tale

  The Squieres Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Squire’s Tale

  The Prologue

  The Tale

  The Phisiciens Tale

  The Physician’s Tale

  Endnotes

  Inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales

  Comments & Questions

  For Further Reading

  From the Pages of

  The Canterbury Tales

  (In Chaucer’s Middle English. See modern English translation on next page.)

  Whan that Aprille with his shoures sote The droghte of Marche hath perced to the rote, And bathed every veyne in swich licour, Of which vertu engendred is the flour; Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth Inspired hath in every holt and heeth The tendre croppes and the yonge sonne Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne, And smale fowles maken melodye, That slepen al the night with open ye, (So priketh him nature in hir corages): Than longen folke to goon on pilgrimages.

  (from “The Prologue,” page 2)

  Thou mightest wene that this Palamoun In his fighting were a wood leoun, And as a cruel tygre was Arcite: As wilde bores gonne they to smyte, That frothen whyte as foom for ire wood. Up to the ancle foghte they in hir blood.

  (from “The Knightes Tale,” page 88)

  “Thou shalt na-more, thurgh thy flaterye, Do me to singe and winke with myn ye. For he that winketh, whan he sholde see, Al wilfully, god lat him never thee!”

  (from “The Nonne Preestes Tale,” page 570)

  From the Pages of

  The Canterbury Tales

  (In modern English. See Chaucer’s original Middle English on previous page.)

  When April with his showers sweet The drought of March has pierced to the root, And rain, like virtue Made those flowers grow; When West Wind with his sweet breath has Blown through every wood and heath The tender buds, and the young sun In Aries has his half-course run; And little birds make melody, That sleep all night with open eye—So pricks them Nature in their souls—Then folks yearn to go on pilgrimages.

  (from “The General Prologue,” page 3)

  You may be sure that this Palamon In his fighting was an enraged lion, And as a cruel tiger was Arcita; They proceeded to smite like wild boars That froth white with foam in wild anger. Up to the ankle fought they in their blood.

  (from “The Knight’s Tale,” page 89)

  “You shall no more, through your flattery, Cause me to sing and close my eyes. For he who blinks when he should look, All willfully, may God not give him luck!”

  (from “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale,” page 571)

  Published by Barnes & Noble Books

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  Geoffrey Chaucer worked on his Canterbury Tales from 1386 or 1387 until his

  death in 1400. The current edition presents Chaucer’s original English, as

  edited by W. W. Skeat (Clarendon Press, 1900), and a new, modern

  English translation by Peter Tuttle.

  Published in 2007 by Barnes & Noble Classics with new modern English

  translation, Introduction, A Note on the Text and the Translation, Notes,

  Biography, Chronology, Inspired By, Comments & Questions,

  and For Further Reading.

  Introduction, Notes, and For Further Reading

  Copyright © 2006 by Robert W. Hanning.

  Note on Geoffrey Chaucer, The World of Geoffrey Chaucer and The

  Canterbury Tales, A Note on the Text and the Translation, Inspired by

  The Canterbury Tales, Comments & Questions, For Further Reading,

  and translation of The Canterbury Tales by Peter Tuttle

  Copyright © 2006 by Barnes & Noble, Inc.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted

  in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy,

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  colophon are trademarks of Barnes & Noble, Inc.

  The Canterbury Tales

  ISBN-13: 978-1-59308-080-8 ISBN-10: 1-59308-080-8

  eISBN : 978-1-411-43378-6

  LC Control Number 2006937723

  Produced and published in conjunction with:

  Fine Creative Media, Inc.

  322 Eighth Avenue

  New York, NY 10001

  Michael J. Fine, President and Publisher

  Printed in the United States of America

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  FIRST PRINTING

  Geoffrey Chaucer

  Geoffrey Chaucer, author of one of the greatest—and earliest—poems written in English, was born in London in the early 1340s. His father was a successful vintner and deputy chief butler to King Edward III. Little is known of Chaucer’s early years. He most likely attended a grammar school but did not study at a university. He learned Latin and French, and perhaps some Italian, the latter probably from wine traders with whom his father did business. Around 1356 he became a page in the household of Elizabeth, countess of Ulster and wife of Lionel, one of Edward III’s sons.

  In 1359 Chaucer journeyed to France in the service of Prince Lionel and Edward III on one of the many campaigns fought during the Hundred Years’ War; when Chaucer was captured, Edward provided the money for his ransom. Little is known of Chaucer during the decade following his return from France. In the early 1360s he entered Edward III’s household as a yeoman and soon became an esquire; as such, he probably lived at court and performed duties for the crown. He married Philippa Roet, who was descended from a powerful family, in 1366. During the same period, Edward III awarded him a lifetime annuity, one among many Chaucer and his wife received.

  Chaucer served Edward III, John of Gaunt, and Richard II in a variety of capacities, including diplomat, justice of the peace, and translator. Beginning in 1374 he was controller of wool customs for the port of London; around this time he and his family moved into comfortable, rent-free quarters above one of London’s seven city gates. He traveled frequently on royal business; in the late 1370s, during a trip to Italy, he may have obtained copies of the works of Dante, Boccaccio, and Petrarch.

  Possibly in response to political pressures, Chaucer resigned his position as controller of customs and left his London apartment in 1386; that same year he was elected to Parliament from the county of Kent, and in 1387 his wife is reported to have died. In 1391 he retired to Kent, presumably to write. A year or two before his death, he returned to London to live.

  Chaucer is thought to have begun The Canterbury Tales, his masterpiece, in the late 1380s. While he drew on French and Italian forms of prose, and on the work of Dante, Ovid, and Virgil, his poetry was innovative—written in his native tongue, while most writers of the day composed in Latin or French. He produced some of the most renowned verse in the history of the English language, particularly in The Canterbury Tales. Geoffrey Chaucer died in 1400 and was buried in Westminster Cathedral.

  The World of Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales

  1340- 1345 Geoffrey Chaucer is born in London, the son of John Chaucer, a prominent wine importer, and his wife, Agnes.

  1346 The English triumph at Crecy, one of many bloody battles fought between England and France during the Hundred Years’ War.

  1348 1349 The Black Death (the plague) sweeps through England, reportedly killing one-third of the population.

  1349 1351 Giovanni Boccaccio writes the Decameron.

  1356 The English are victorious at the battle of Poitiers; Edward III captures the French king, John II.

  1357 The first known mention of Chaucer is a record of a pur chase of clothing, possibly suggesting he was a page in the household of Elizabeth, countess of Ulster and wife of Li onel, the second son of Edward III.

  1359 - 1360 Chaucer serves in the English army and travels to the battle fields of France with Edward III and his sons, including the eldest, known as the Black Prince.

  1360 Chaucer is captured by the French and held for ransom until he is released for the sum of £16; Edward III provides the sum. With the Treaty of Brétigny, England establishes peace with France that will last nine years.

  1361- 1362 The plague returns, again devastating the population. Wages for laborers increase, as there are more jobs available than workers to perform them. The use of English in courts of law is formalized.

  1366 Chaucer marries Philippa Roet. His father dies.

  1367 Chaucer is given a lifetime annuity of £20 per year by Ed ward III. Chaucer will serve the royal household in various capacities until his death. His son, Thomas, is born. Richard II, the son of the Black Prince, is born.

  c.1367 - 1370 William Langland’s Piers Plowman appears.

  1368 Chaucer travels overseas on royal missions, perhaps to France or Italy.

  1369- 1372 Chaucer writes The Book of the Duchess, an elegy for Blanche of Lancaster, who died in 1368. Edward III’s wife, Queen Philippa, dies. A third major plague spreads throughout England.

  1370 John Lydgate, a writer remembered as an imitator of Chaucer, is born.

  1371 John of Gaunt, another son of Edward III and Blanche of Lancaster’s widower, marries Constance of Castile. Philippa Chaucer serves in their household.

  1372 Chaucer makes his first known journey to Italy on a diplo matic mission.

  1374 Chaucer moves to Aldgate and is appointed the port of Lon don’s controller of customs for wool, skins, and hides. King Edward awards Chaucer a gallon pitcher of wine daily for life for loyal service. Petrarch dies.

  1375 Boccaccio dies.

  1376 The Black Prince dies.

  1377 Edward III dies, and Richard II becomes king. Chaucer makes several top-secret journeys to France on behalf of Richard II to negotiate for peace. The first poll tax is insti tuted.

  1378 Chaucer travels to Milan on a diplomatic mission to see the Lord of Milan, Bernabo Visconti. Their meeting inspires Chaucer to include Visconti as a tragic figure in “The Monk’s Tale.”

  1378- 1381 Chaucer’s comic poem The House of Fame appears. He also writes Palamon and Arcita, a poem based on Boccac’s Teseida that is later adapted to become “The Knight’s Tale.”

  1380 Cecily Champain accuses Chaucer of rape, then settles with him out of court. Chaucer begins writing Troilus and Criseyde, a tragic love story set against the backdrop of the Trojan War.

  1381 In honor of the King’s upcoming marriage, Chaucer writes The Parliament of Fowls, a dream-vision poem in which a group of birds choose their mates. He begins to write Boece, a translation of Roman philosopher Boethius’ The

  Consolation of Philosophy. Workers of various economic and social strata gather in London to protest the poll tax; this civilian rebellion, known as the Great Rising or the Peasants’ Revolution, causes extensive damage and upheaval.

  1382 Richard II marries Anne of Bohemia. John Wycliffe trans lates the Bible into English.

  1385 French poet Eustache Deschamps praises Chaucer for his skill as a translator. Chaucer becomes justice of the peace for the county of Kent.

  1386 He resigns from his customs duties and serves as a member of Parliament for Kent. He begins writing The Legend of Good Women, a collection of stories that will remain unfin ished.

  1387 Around this time, Chaucer begins writing The Canterbury Tales. Opponents of Richard II, known as the Lords Appel lant, curtail the King’s authority. Several of the King’s sup porters, including poet Thomas Usk, are executed.

  1389 Richard II appoints Chaucer clerk of the King’s Works.

  1390 Chaucer supervises the building of the scaffolding to be used for the Smithfield jousts.

  1394 Richard II awards Chaucer an annuity of £20 per year.

  1396 John of Gaunt marries his long
time mistress, Katherine Swynford, Philippa Chaucer’s sister.

  139999 Richard II is deposed, and Henry Bolingbroke accedes to the throne as Henry IV. John of Gaunt dies.

  1400 Geoffrey Chaucer dies, leaving The Canterbury Tales unfin ished, and is buried at Westminster Abbey.

  Introduction

  Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is undeniably one of the English language’s greatest literary achievements. However, despite the apparent accessibility of many of its unforgettable characters, and the continued relevance of some of its main themes and concerns, this collection of tales, ostensibly told to each other by a group of late-fourteenth-century English pilgrims while on their way to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury, offers the twenty-first-century reader many problems of interpretation and understanding ; among these, its (to us) archaic language is perhaps the least formidable. The following pages, after a brief rehearsal of information about Chaucer’s life, times, social placement, and other works, will consider some of the major critical questions that have swirled around the form and content of The Canterbury Tales during the last century or so and propose, however hesitantly, answers to some of them.