The Canterbury Tales

About “The Canterbury Tales”

The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer in Middle English at the end of the 14th century. The tales, mostly in verse but some in prose, are part of a storytelling contest among a group of pilgrims traveling from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. Chaucer's most famous work, it includes other writings such as Troilus and Criseyde, House of Fame, and Parliament of Fowls. Through the tales and character descriptions, Chaucer offers an ironic and critical view of English society, especially the Church. The work was influenced by The Decameron by Boccaccio, but Chaucer's characters are common people rather than noble figures.