Product Description

This classic and eminently readable work provides a full critical introduction to the complete Canterbury Tales. Essential reading for students of Chaucer.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #50634 in Books
• Published on: 2004-12-31
• Number of discs: 3
• Formats: Abridged, Audiobook, Box set, Cast Recording, Compilation
• Number of items: 3
• Binding: Audio CD
• 21 pages

Synopsis
Chaucer's greatest work, written towards the end of the fourteenth century, paints a brilliant picture of medieval life, society and values. The stories range from the romantic, courtly idealism of 'The Knight's Tale' to the joyous bawdy of the Miller's. All are told with a freshness and vigour in this modern verse translation that make them a delight to hear.

Customer Reviews

We were not so very different, 700 years ago...
As is proved by the delightfully wicked set of stories mirroring in some respects Boccaccio's Decameron, which predated Chaucer, but which expand on bawdiness and give a fascinating insight into human nature: the very language is stripped of all ambiguity: for example, 'and sodeynly anon, Damyan gan pullen up hir smock and in he throng' is almost something out of a Jilly Cooper, although far more exotic!

And if you don't like the olde English, you can read the translation, which I think is extremely helpful if you're new to Chaucer or don't warm immediately to the lingo.

Understandable and Enjoyable
The book I am reviewing is the Bantam Classic Edition translated and edited by A. Kent Hieatt and Constance Hieatt. This volume includes a critical introduction and a helpful glossary written by the editors. The text is arranged in a format utilizing a facing-page translation.

Chaucer spoke and wrote in the London dialect of Middle English which was popular during his time. In THE CANTERBURY TALES he used the device of having a diverse group of people tell two tales each while traveling together on a pilgrimage from London to Canterbury, the location of the Shrine of St. Thomas A' Becket.

Almost every social type of the fourteenth century is represented among the pilgrims such as a knight, lawyer, doctor, cook, miller, nun, merchant, monk, priest, squire and several others. Chaucer is also one of the pilgrims. Readers will recognize many of the characters as being reminiscent of their twenty-first century contemporaries. The physician, for instance, loves gold and makes a lot of money during times of pestilence. He also has a close and mutually profitable relationship with an apothecary.

Anyone who recalls being introduced to Chaucer as a student long ago will find the modern texts and translations a welcome change. The result is a Chaucer who is both understandable and very enjoyable.

Delightful to Hear in the Recorded Books Edition
This version will appeal most to those who have read and studied The Canterbury Tales and enjoyed them.

The Canterbury Tales are best heard aloud. With commentary by Professor Murphy and talented actors, the various tales come appealingly alive. Chaucer's Middle English has its archaic words explained, and leaves the beauty of the meter and rhymes intact.

The tales explore primarily relations between men and women, people and God, and consistently challenge hypocrisy. The tales also exemplify all the major story forms in use during the Middle Ages.

The book's structure is unbelievable subtle and complex, providing the opportunity to peel the onion down to its core, one layer at a time. Modern anthologies look awfully weak by comparison.

Although the material is old, the ideas are not. You will also be impressed by how much closer God was to the lives of these people than He is today. The renunciation at the end comes as a mighty jolt, as a result.

My favorites are by the miller, wife of Bath, pardoner, and nun's priest.

Where do you see the opportunity to give and share spiritual and worldly love? How can you give and receive more love?