The Canterbury Tales is one of the undisputed classics of all time. A collection of stories, two in prose and the remainder in verse, The Canterbury Tales is a product of the 14th century and written in Middle English. As a result, each tale is presented in Middle English, with a translation in the modern English we speak today beside it.
The Canterbury Tales is rich with a multitude of themes, from courtly love to treachery and avarice. Characters of the Middle Ages are beautifully described, elaborate descriptions of prominent figures in noble court to the lowliest of servants. It is a collection of stories that people were encouraged to tell, as they gathered at the Tabard Inn before setting out for a pilgrimage to Canterbury where they were to receive the blessings of the English martyr, St. Thomas à Becket.
The novel is penned by Geoffrey Chaucer, recognized as the Father of English literature because of his contribution to the development and advancement of the vernacular, Middle English. This was at a time when the literary world in England was dominated by French and Latin. It is believed Chaucer combined the dialects of Kent and the Midlands.
