The Portable Chaucer: Revised Edition (Portable Library) [Paperback]

Geoffrey Chaucer (Author), Theodore Morrison (Editor, Translator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0140150811 | ISBN-13: 978-0140150810 | Publication Date: May 26, 1977 | Edition: Revised

DESCRIPTION OF BOOK: CONTAINS THE CANTERBURY TALES AND THEFIVE BOOKS OF TROILUS AND CRESSIDA, AND HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE LARGER PORTIONS OF THE BOOK OF THE DUCHESS AND THE BIRDS' PARLIAMENT, AS WELL ASTHE SHORT POEM "NOBILITY".

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 624 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics); Revised edition (May 26, 1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140150811
• ISBN-13: 978-0140150810
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #242,755 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Translation by Far, March 12, 2011

By 

Mark Wilson (Tampa, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Portable Chaucer: Revised Edition (Portable Library) (Paperback)

The problem with reading the original is that it is almost like reading a foreign language, resulting in having to stop and look up every other word. Yet, the problem with most translations, (Peter Tuttle comes to mind) is that it destroys the rhyme scheme - which greatly devalues the work in my opinion.

Theodore Morrison is the first I've read to translate in such a brilliant manner as to preserve most of the original while keeping the rhyme scheme intact. Highly recommended.

8 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Chauser Review, March 20, 2000

By 

Karl Grindal (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Portable Chaucer: Revised Edition (Portable Library) (Paperback)

This book has a collection of many short stories in it, each with humor, and each with a theme. It takes place in an inn, where a group of pilgrims are staying for the night. Then the inn keeper tells them, they each must tell a story. So each of the different pilgrims, with different occupations and personalities, tells a tale, until morning is reached. Most of the tales are bawdy,comical, and have a theme. The book takes the point of view from one of the pilgrims, named Chauser, who listens to the different tales, but never interacts in the story. The pros of this book would definitely be it's comedy, poetry, challenge, action and love. Also, the point of view from various occupations, one to another, is interesting. The cons of this book would be, it's tendency to use unmeaningful words just to complete a rhyme. It also is easy to lose track of the main story with it's rhyme and old English text. I am definitely going to recommend this book to some of my friends, who are good readers and will love it. I hope you do to.

3 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book timelessness, September 19, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: The Portable Chaucer: Revised Edition (Portable Library) (Paperback)

Romantic in feeling: Love ,Lust Greed: all told throught different experences and understandings. Quotes such as "If the gold rusts, what will the iron do? For if a priest is foul in whom we trust, no wonder a layman shows a little rust."