The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer (Penguin Classics)
Nevill Coghill's masterly and vivid modern English verse translation carries all the vigor and poetry of Chaucer's fourteenth-century Middle English.
In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer created one of the great touchstones of English literature: a masterly collection of chivalric romances, moral allegories and low farce. A storytelling competition between a group of pilgrims from all walks of life is the occasion for a series of tales that range from the Knight's account of courtly love and the ebullient Wife of Bath's Arthurian legend to the ribald anecdotes of the Miller and the Cook. Rich and diverse, The Canterbury Tales offer an unrivaled glimpse into the life and mind of medieval England.
For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes from distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
This book is featured on The Book Club with Michael Knowles, PragerU's show dedicated to the great books of Western civilization. In this episode, Michael Knowles is joined by Dante scholar Catherine Illingworth to discuss what makes Chaucer's collection of pilgrim tales the most popular work of English literature ever written, from its chivalric romances to its earthier, more comic moments.
📺 Watch the episode: Catherine Illingworth — The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Own this Penguin Classics edition of Chaucer's masterwork and discover why a 14th-century storytelling contest still ranks among the richest portraits of English life ever written.
