The Canterbury Tales (Dover Giant Thrift Editions) [Paperback]

Geoffrey Chaucer (Author), J. U. Nicholson (Translator)

Book Description

Series: Dover Giant Thrift Editions | Publication Date: January 13, 2004

A group of pilgrims bound for Canterbury Cathedral agree to pass the weary miles by taking turns at storytelling — thus begins English literature's greatest collection of chivalric romances, bawdy tales, fables, legends, and other stories.  Translation into modern English verse by J. U. Nicholson.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (January 13, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486431622
• ISBN-13: 978-0486431628
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,356,906 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars NOT A review, just a note for the reviewer above me..., August 15, 2006

By 

A drummer and history student "drummerboyjason" (LOUISIANA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Canterbury Tales (Dover Giant Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

While you claim to have read it in "old English" in school, you most likely were reading an updated version as well. The original was in MIDDLE ENGLISH not Old English. And looks a little something like this...

Heere bigynneth the knyghtes tale.

Whilom, as olde stories tellen us,
Ther was a duc that highte Theseus;
Of Atthenes he was lord and governour,
That gretter was ther noon under the sonne.
Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne,
What with his wysdom and his chivalrie;

Very little like your "old English" of the KJV Bible...

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For the record, February 15, 2006

By 

Matthew E. Cavanaugh (Chicago, Illinois, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Canterbury Tales (Dover Giant Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

I want to correct an earlier reviewer.

Chaucer wrote "The Canterbury Tales" in Middle English, not Old English. The King James Bible is written in Modern English.

Thanks as always to Dover for publishing this inexpensive and unabridged version (yes, in Modern English) of Chaucer's Tales. Unabridged versions have been hard to find at any price.

1 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Miffed at Most, August 5, 2005

By 

Shawn Williams "introfeel" (Gary, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Canterbury Tales (Dover Giant Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

I had no idea that this was not the original text, but a translation from old English to new. I read the old English in high school and didn't have a problem with it, perhaps because I was used to the King James bible. I certainly am not going to read this translation and will put it up for sale. I really enjoyed the original text and prefer to read that.