The Canterbury Tales (Modern Library) [DECKLE EDGE] (Hardcover)

~ (Author), (Translator), John Miles Foley (Introduction)
Key Phrases: The Tale, The Canterbury Tales, Jesus Christ (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A delight . . . [Raffel’s translation] provides more opportunities to savor the counterpoint of Chaucer’s earthy humor against passages of piercingly beautiful lyric poetry.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Masterly . . . This new translation beckons us to make our own pilgrimage back to the very wellsprings of literature in our language.” —Billy Collins

“The Canterbury Tales has remained popular for seven centuries. It is the most approachable masterpiece of the medieval world, and Mr. Raffel’s translation makes the stories even more inviting.”—Wall Street Journal



From the Trade Paperback edition. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Review

“A delight . . . [Raffel’s translation] provides more opportunities to savor the counterpoint of Chaucer’s earthy humor against passages of piercingly beautiful lyric poetry.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Masterly . . . This new translation beckons us to make our own pilgrimage back to the very wellsprings of literature in our language.” —Billy Collins

“The Canterbury Tales has remained popular for seven centuries. It is the most approachable masterpiece of the medieval world, and Mr. Raffel’s translation makes the stories even more inviting.”—Wall Street Journal



From the Trade Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 672 pages
• Publisher: Modern Library; Unabridged edition (November 18, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679643559
• ISBN-13: 978-0679643555
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #114,283 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #11 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > British > Classics > Chaucer, Geoffrey
  #15 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Authors, A-Z > ( C ) > Chaucer, Geoffrey
  #45 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Literature & Fiction > Poetry

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!, February 11, 2009

By	Sheri Postma "Granny" (IA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is one of the most "fun" books I've seen. The poetic style has not been lost in the modernization of the language. It is easy to read and understand. The cover is pretty and the whole thing just says "Read Me". I love it - very enjoyable.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For more reviews, go to www.alexctelander.com, and the BookBanter podcast: http://bookbanter.podbean.com, June 16, 2009

By	Alex Telander "BookBanter" (Roseville, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

THE CANTERBURY TALES BY GEOFFREY CHAUCER, TRANSLATED BY BURTON RAFFEL: The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written by one of the greatest writers in history, up there with William Shakespeare himself. Originally published in the late fifteenth century, it has appeared on high school reading lists, and serves as one of the most important medieval texts - if not the most important - ever written and published.

Chaucer tells the story of 29 pilgrims who set out on pilgrimage from London to Canterbury. Pilgrimage was a common event in many people's lives in the medieval world, especially if they were looking to be pious and guarantee their ascent into heaven; it was also a good way for those who had committed sins to be absolved of their actions. The Host of this pilgrimage sets the stage in the "General Prologue" by asking each of the pilgrims to tell four stories; two on the way to Canterbury, and two on the way back to London. The storytelling will help pass the time, but will also serve to enlighten the group about the lives and actions of the pilgrims.

While Chaucer never fully completed his 124 stories, ending at 22,, there is nevertheless a wide selection of stories from most of its main characters. "The Knight's Tale" is the story about two royal Theban cousins who love the same woman. There's "The Wife of Bath's Tale," as she discusses her life of five husbands and the importance and sacrifice she has made in marriage and being a wife. "The Miller's Tale" mocks the life of a carpenter who is fooled into believing a flood is coming, while the clerk sleeps with his wife. In the final story, "The Parson's Tale," the Parson talks for a long time about the importance of being just and pious and faithful to God.

The Canterbury Tales is not just a collection of entertaining stories from the fifteenth century, but is a most fascinating insight into the way of life of these people, what they considered funny or sad, what they wore and ate, and what sort of a role the church truly played in their lives. Chaucer even inserts himself into his book, arguing back and forth with the Host, as he is challenged to tell a superior story.

In this new translation from Burton Raffel, much of the original text is preserved, even though Raffel admits that in any translation, it is ultimately going to be different as it is that, a translation. Nevertheless, where possible, Raffel keeps and maintains the rhyming scheme, giving life to the stories and making the old oral tradition of storytelling come alive off the page. This new translation of The Canterbury Tales is perfect for anyone who enjoys these old texts, or for a student having trouble reading the early Middle English; it is even ideal for families to learn through reciting the stories aloud and hearing these classics come to life through voice, as they were originally meant to.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Delightful., March 30, 2009

By	John J. Paradiso (Chicago) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Tales offer such a diverse slice of Medieval life and are narrated from so many different perspectives. Yes they are a bit ribald but such was life before the constraints of Puritanism became the norm. I found myself laughing out loud at the hijinks described in the likes of The Miller's Tale and then (countered by) The Reeves Tale.
As is well known by now, Chaucer did not himself write these stories but instead took tales that were universally familiar and embellished them to such a degree as to make them highly enjoyable some six centuries later. I like that most are short and can be reread at leisure. I would highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys that particular period in time. It is history with scrumptious flavoring.