The Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer · 1343–1400 · England
Originally The Canterbury Tales (Middle English)
Why it matters
A knight, a miller, a wife, a pardoner, and two dozen other pilgrims swap stories on the road to Canterbury, each tale exposing its teller. Medieval society's whole spectrum given individual voices: English literature's founding act of characterization.
At a glance
short story collectionsatire
Difficulty 7/10medium pace500 pagesMiddle English takes real adjustment even glossed; modernized versions trade music for ease.
