Canterbury Tales

Born in London to a wine merchant, Geoffrey Chaucer (c1340-1400) became a royal servant and travelled as a diplomat to France, Spain and Italy. As well as being famed for his translations, his own work includes Troilus and Criseyde, The Book of the Duchess and The Legend of Good Women.Jill Mann has been Professor Medieval & Renaissance English at Cambridge University, and most recently Notre Dame Professor of English. She is the author Feminizing Chaucer (2002), and co-editor (with Piero Boitani) of The Cambridge Companion to Chaucer (2nd edn. 2003).Jill Mann has been Professor Medieval & Renaissance English at Cambridge University, and most recently she was Notre Dame Professor of English. She is the author Feminizing Chaucer (2002), and co-editor (with Piero Boitani) of The Cambridge Companion to Chaucer (2nd edn. 2003).

“A delight . . . [Raffel’s translation] provides more opportunities to savor the counterpoint of Chaucer’s earthy humor against passages of piercingly beautiful lyric poetry.”—Kirkus Reviews“Masterly . . . This new translation beckons us to make our own pilgrimage back to the very wellsprings of literature in our language.” —Billy Collins“The Canterbury Tales has remained popular for seven centuries. It is the most approachable masterpiece of the medieval world, and Mr. Raffel’s translation makes the stories even more inviting.”—Wall Street Journal

• The Canterbury TalesAcknowledgmentsEditor's NoteChronolgyIntroductionFurther ReadingChaucer's LanguageA Note on the TectAbbreviations of the Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury TalesFragment I (Group A)The General PrologueThe Knight's TaleThe Miller's Prologue and TaleThe Reeve's Prologue and TaleThe Cook's Prologue and TaleFragment II (Group B)The Man of Law's Prologue, Tale and EpilogueFragment III (Group D)The Wife of Bath's Prologue and TaleThe Friar's Prologue and TaleThe Summoner's Prologue and TaleFragment IV (Group E)The Clerk's Prologue and TaleThe Merchant's Prologue, Tale and EpilogueFragment V (Group F)The Squire's Prologue and TaleThe Squire-Franklin Link, the Franklin's Prologue and TaleFragment VI (Group C)The Physician's TaleThe Physicia-Pardoner Link, The Pardoner's Prologue and TaleFragment VII (Group B)The Shipman's TaleThe Shipman-Prioress Link, The Prioress's Prologue and TaleThe Prioress-Sir Thopas Link and Sir ThopasThe Thopas-Melibee Link and the Tale of MelibeeThe Monk's Prologue and TaleThe Nun's Priest's Prologue, Tale and EpilogueFragment VIII (Group G)The Second Nun's Prologue and TaleThe Canon's Yeoman's Prologue and TaleFragment IX (Group H)The Manciple's Prologue and TaleFragment X (Group I)The Parson's Prologue and TaleChaucer's RetractionsAbbrviated ReferencesNotesGlossary