Chaucer's Pilgrims: An Historical Guide to the Pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales [Paperback]

Laura C. Lambdin (Editor), Robert T. Lambdin (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0275966291 | ISBN-13: 978-0275966294 | Publication Date: April 30, 1999

Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is one of the oldest and most widely studied works of English literature. The tales provide a glimpse of medieval life, and the professions of the pilgrims figure prominently in the poetry. To have a clear understanding of Chaucer's work, the reader needs to know about the vocations of the pilgrims. For some 600 years, this information has been difficult to locate. This reference work conveniently synthesizes and discusses information about the occupation of each of Chaucer's pilgrims and provides an historical context. The volume contains individual entries for each of Chaucer's pilgrims, and the entries share a similar format to foster comparison. Each entry includes three parts. First, the pilgrim's profession is discussed in terms of the daily routine of the medieval occupation. Second, the vocation is examined in terms of its reflection in the tale told by the pilgrim. Third, the vocation and the tale are discussed, when possible, in relation to the descriptions of the characters provided in the "General Prologue." Each entry includes a bibliography, and the volume concludes with a list of works for further reading.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This volume as a whole is eminently useful, especially for novice and undergraduate readers of Chaucer. Individual bibliographies attached to each essay will provide young researchers excellent starting places for further study.”–Choice

Book Description

Entries for each of the pilgrims of Canterbury Tales discuss the professions of the pilgrims and place their vocation in historical context.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Praeger Paperback (April 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275966291
• ISBN-13: 978-0275966294
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,300,112 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Want to know about the pilgrims' progression, November 9, 2009

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Michele L (Illinois) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Chaucer's Pilgrims: An Historical Guide to the Pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales (Paperback)

To fully appreciate Chaucer's pilgrims in the context of Medieval England, this book is a must-read. Essays are intelligent yet accessible enough for high school students interested in knowing more about one of literature's greatest gifts.