The Canterbury Tales

Sinopse

An illustrated selection rendered into modern English by Nevill Coghill

The Canterbury Tales stands conspicuous among the great literary achievements of the Middle Ages. Told by a jovial procession of pilgrims – knight, priest, squire, miller, or friar – as they ride towards the shrine of Thomas à Becket, the tales present, with stunning clarity, a fascinating picture of a nation taking shape. The tone of this never-resting comedy is, by turns, learned, fantastic, lewd, pious and ludicrous. ‘Here’, as John Dryden said, ‘is God’s plenty!’
This selection is drawn from Nevill Coghill’s modern English rendering, celebrated in Penguin Classics for more than twenty-five years. The illustrations, which explore such themes as chivalry, religion, travel, alchemy and the feudal system, provide a magnificent back-cloth to the tales and bring vividly before us the rich and diverse life of medieval England.