Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales

"The Canterbury Tales" is a seminal work of English literature penned by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. This collection of stories is structured around a pilgrimage narrative, wherein a group of thirty pilgrims ventures to the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury, Kent. Their assembly point is the Tabard Inn in Southwark, situated on the opposite bank of the Thames from London. A unique element of their journey is a storytelling competition, orchestrated by Harry Bailly, the Tabard's host and the contest's moderator.

Chaucer employs the "General Prologue" to introduce the pilgrims through succinct and vivid descriptions, setting the stage for the narratives that follow. The collection, which comprises 24 tales, is punctuated by dialogic exchanges or 'links,' primarily involving the host and various pilgrims. Despite Chaucer's ambitious plans for the work, it remains incomplete, lacking the pilgrims' return journey and contributions from each traveler.

The narrative framework of a pilgrimage enables Chaucer to assemble a diverse cast, representing a cross-section of medieval society, including figures such as a knight, a prioress, a monk, a merchant, a man of law, and others. This diversity allows for a network of stories spanning multiple genres, including courtly romance, fabliau, hagiography, allegory, and others, thus offering a multifaceted portrayal of contemporary social dynamics and individual characterizations.

"The Canterbury Tales" includes a multitude of stories, such as "The Knight’s Tale," "The Miller’s Tale," and "The Wife of Bath’s Tale," among others. Some tales are incomplete, and a few include individual prologues or epilogues. Chaucer's innovative use of iambic pentameter, possibly influenced by French versification, established a foundational metric scheme that would influence English poetic tradition.