What do you know about “The Canterbury Tales”?

Answer

Give a brief account of the history of the composition of “The Canterbury Tales”. 

Or, what do you know about “The Canterbury Tales”?

Or, write a short note on “The Canterbury Tales”.

Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340-1400) wrote “The Canterbury Tales” in the 14th century. This famous book is a collection of stories told by a group of pilgrims.

Background of the Story: The pilgrims meet at an inn called the Tabard Inn. They are going to Canterbury together, to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket, a famous religious figure. The owner of the inn, Harry Bailey, suggests a storytelling contest. Each pilgrim will tell two stories on the way to Canterbury and two on the way back. The one who will tell the best story will win a free meal. Chaucer planned to write 120 stories, but he completed only 24 before his death.

The Diverse Character of Pilgrims: Chaucer portrays 30 pilgrims vividly in The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales. Each pilgrim comes from a different background, such as a knight, a monk, a merchant, a cook, and a wife. Some are rich, and some are poor. Some are religious, and some are corrupt. For example, the Knight is noble and brave. Chaucer writes about the knight:

“A Knyght ther was, and that a worthy man.”

(There was a knight, and he was a nobleman.)

The Wife of Bath is talkative. She has been married many times. The Parson is truly kind and religious. The stories are about love, adventure, humor, religion, and everyday life. Chaucer used these stories to show what life was like in medieval England.

Language and Writing style: Chaucer wrote “The Canterbury Tales” in the Middle English language. At that time, most books were written in Latin or French. So, this book becomes one of the first major works written in English. It helped shape the English language and literature. Chaucer also wrote in verse. The lines follow a rhythm called iambic