Dimensions
131 x 197 x 41mm
Within the framework of a Christian pilgrimage the sober and the frivolous, the noble and the salacious are thrown together as a humorous but representative illustration of an eclectic Medieval society. The worthy Knight, the drunken Miller, the hypocritical Pardoner and the lusty Wife of Bath are among the assorted pilgrims competing, as entertainment along the way, to tell the best tale: legends of chivalric and fantastical romance, lewd fabliaux and honourable tales of justice, war and love.
Chaucer's shrewd eye for minutiae and skilful use of irony allow his characters unwittingly to condemn themselves, or quietly to commend themselves, and through perceptive insight to give a vivid sense of the variety of human experience.
This is the most comprehensive edition available, with introduction, select bibliography and chronology of Chaucer's life and times.
