The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

Anyone who has ever been on a package tour with a group of strangers who soon become friends, and passed time swapping stories with them, would instantly identify with this timeless classic of English literature. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer recounts twenty different stories recounted by a diverse group of pilgrims who gather at The Tabard Inn in Southwark, near London, before setting out for the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury. The Host of the inn proposes that they entertain themselves by telling stories along the route and the one who tells the best tale would win a prize – a meal at Bailey's tavern, sponsored by the losers. Lots are drawn and the stories and the journey begin...

Chaucer, who lived in medieval England during an eventful period in English history, is known as the Father of English Literature. As the first acknowledged poet in English, Chaucer was a polymath who had wide ranging interests in astronomy, alchemy, philosophy and literature. He was a courtier and civil servant in the 14th century, whose life is surprisingly well-documented for those times. A confidante and mentor to many royal children, Chaucer wrote the Canterbury Tales after his retirement, somewhere between 1380-90. It was written in verse form and in Middle English in the original, which would be difficult for modern readers to decipher easily. However, excellent translations have now made the text accessible to us.

What sets The Canterbury Tales apart from other works during the period is that Chaucer preferred to use English rather than Latin which was considered to be the language of sophistication. This one decision made all the difference as people all over England soon began to use their native tongue to express themselves in prose and poetry.

This is perhaps the first “road trip” genre of writing in English and is replete with wonderful, ironic, sharp and witty descriptions of the characters and Chaucer's unerring eye for details allows the reader to instantly visualize the people he's describing. The Knight, The Wife of Bath, The Prioress and The Miller are some of the colorful travelers. The book is an interesting document regarding history, social customs, the medieval concept of “courtly love,” the emphasis on companionship and cooperation while traveling, the role of the church and the prevailing corruption and romantic ideals of the time.

For both casual readers and those interested in the history of English literature, The Canterbury Tales is an invaluable mine of information.