Robert Mayer Lumiansky (1913–1987) was Dean of the Graduate School at Tulane University and an author of many books.

Anyone who has merely given the Canterbury Tales a hasty or a laboured reading would do well to use Dr. Lumiansky's book as a reintroduction to the poem; it is methodical and interesting, and it boldly states a thesis that gives a new cohesion to the Tales, and a new motive to their poet . . . . The Chaucer scholar will enjoy the book, too, because it is well written and its authorities are sound. (Journal of English and Germanic Philology)

• Preface Abbreviations Part I. Introduction: The Point of View and the Assumptions Part II. The Movable Stage: The General Prologue and the Links Part III. The Twenty-three Performances The Knight The Miller The Reeve The Cook The Sergeant of the Law The Shipman The Prioress The Pilgrim Chaucer The Monk The Nun’s Priest The Wife of Bath The Friar The Summoner The Clerk The Merchant The Squire The Franklin The Physician The Pardoner The Second Nun The Canon’s Yeoman The Manciple The Parson Conclusion: The Dramatic Principle Selected Bibliography Index

Robert Mayer Lumiansky (1913–1987) was Dean of the Graduate School at Tulane University and an author of many books.

Anyone who has merely given the Canterbury Tales a hasty or a laboured reading would do well to use Dr. Lumiansky's book as a reintroduction to the poem; it is methodical and interesting, and it boldly states a thesis that gives a new cohesion to the Tales, and a new motive to their poet . . . . The Chaucer scholar will enjoy the book, too, because it is well written and its authorities are sound. (Journal of English and Germanic Philology)

• Preface Abbreviations Part I. Introduction: The Point of View and the Assumptions Part II. The Movable Stage: The General Prologue and the Links Part III. The Twenty-three Performances The Knight The Miller The Reeve The Cook The Sergeant of the Law The Shipman The Prioress The Pilgrim Chaucer The Monk The Nun’s Priest The Wife of Bath The Friar The Summoner The Clerk The Merchant The Squire The Franklin The Physician The Pardoner The Second Nun The Canon’s Yeoman The Manciple The Parson Conclusion: The Dramatic Principle Selected Bibliography Index

Robert Mayer Lumiansky (1913–1987) was Dean of the Graduate School at Tulane University and an author of many books.

Anyone who has merely given the Canterbury Tales a hasty or a laboured reading would do well to use Dr. Lumiansky's book as a reintroduction to the poem; it is methodical and interesting, and it boldly states a thesis that gives a new cohesion to the Tales, and a new motive to their poet . . . . The Chaucer scholar will enjoy the book, too, because it is well written and its authorities are sound. (Journal of English and Germanic Philology)

• Preface Abbreviations Part I. Introduction: The Point of View and the Assumptions Part II. The Movable Stage: The General Prologue and the Links Part III. The Twenty-three Performances The Knight The Miller The Reeve The Cook The Sergeant of the Law The Shipman The Prioress The Pilgrim Chaucer The Monk The Nun’s Priest The Wife of Bath The Friar The Summoner The Clerk The Merchant The Squire The Franklin The Physician The Pardoner The Second Nun The Canon’s Yeoman The Manciple The Parson Conclusion: The Dramatic Principle Selected Bibliography Index