The Canterbury Tales - TL;DR
Article by Carter Cada - Written 7/18/2023
Rated on:
Character Building
Accuracy
Family-Friendliness
Historical-Cultural Value
Artistry
I’ve never thought of myself as a “poetry guy”. Flowery words and delicate sayings? Not really my thing…or so I thought. As a kid, I remember my parents reading different books of children’s poetry to me, and I guess it must have stuck from there.
You’ve probably heard about The Canterbury Tales, and that it is a simple book of poetry. You’ve also probably heard divided opinions on it: once, it was a banned book. It is also known as the most fundamental piece of English literature of all time.
But is that really what The Canterbury Tales is about? To some, yes: the book is a collection of stories from Medieval living put to rhyme; but it is many other things as well.
I will disclose, before I get into details, that the book is not suitable for every age. Many of the stories detail aspects of daily living, as well as stereotypical views of many classes, groups, and profession. These include their fair share of violence or immorality.
That being said, the purpose in every scene, whether of sinner or saint, was to help another generation understand what life was like.
Let’s see how they stack up.
“For ever the latter end of joy is woe.
God knows that worldly joy is swift to go.”
What is The Canterbury Tales?
TL;DR -
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of fictitious stories analyzing various aspects of Medieval life. These stories are told by a group of travelers making their way to Canterbury on a pilgrimage, hence the name.
Geoffrey Chaucer was a Medieval writer, who, in 1392, produced what is widely considered his Magnum Opus: “The Canterbury Tales”. In the book, several travelers from varied walks of life - from nuns and knights to a butcher and a tavern-keeper - meet at a tavern on their way to Canterbury.
Chaucer self-inserts into his own story as a poor writer, who copies down the tales the travelers tell as they are told. Ironically, it is his own character that tells the worst stories (including one who’s rhyme scheme was so horrendous, that the others ask him to stop entirely).
It is decided that whoever can tell the best story will be provided a meal, compliments of the other travelers. Agreeing that this would be an amiable way to pass the time on the road, the story begins.
Each of the stories are told from the perspective of the individual doing the telling. This is one of the defining traits of the work, as, just as was true of the culture of the day, many classes, professions, and walks of life saw others differently.
For example, when the knight tells his stories, the laity is seen as revered and holy. However, when the common folk share, the laity is seen through a darker shade of greed and trickery.
This defining trait of the work is one of the reasons it has been preserved as a classic so long. Chaucer’s ability to show how people saw professions, cultures, and others from many angles is a work of talent rarely seen today.
How good is The Canterbury Tales?
Character Building
-3 out of 5 Stars
TL;DR -
The emphasis of the Canterbury Tales is not on building good character, but rather exposing the character typical of several walks of life, whether good or bad.
In some ways, the Canterbury tales could be regarded as a satire of sorts. While there are many inclusions of the bravery, chastity, and steadfastness of some, also present are themes of infidelity or brutality.
In an age where a religious education (and by extent, an education in ethics) was largely esoteric, corruption was rife. A frequent trope across medieval literature is that of man cheating another out of money, possessions, or a wife.
Some, too, are stories of trickery or unfaithfulness. All too common in this age of darkness was adultery and lying.
Would I recommend this book as a read for your free time? Absolutely not. However, one must understand when studying the book for historical purposes, that this was the reality of daily life.
While not entirely pleasant to read about, and while I skipped through my fair share of the stories, the book undeniably provides a great prelude to the reformation, highlighting what an incredible revival it was.
For that, and Chaucer’s willingness to denounce respected figures for their wicked lifestyles, the book has some value pertaining to character.
Unfortunately, not every member of Medieval society lived by a code of chivalry.
Accuracy
-4 out of 5 Stars
TL;DR -
While not a perfect commentary on every aspect of medieval life and its complexities, Chaucer provides what may be the clearest and only view of medieval life for the average person.
The accuracy of a book like this is hard to challenge, especially when the source is “straight from the horse’s mouth”, as they say.
Unlike many fictitious classics, Chaucer was not writing of a land he was not familiar with. Far from it.
While the stories technically count as works of fiction, they fall comfortably within the realm of “historical fiction”, as each provide prime examples of Medieval daily living.
When drawing inspiration for the Canterbury tales, Chaucer likely had to look no further than his hometown of Kent.
Kent had a well-rounded history, possessing both military, economic, and religious significance at different times throughout its past.
This being the case, Chaucer had a wide variety of class, culture, and opinion (both his own and that of others) to draw on for his work.
There cannot be doubt that, given his surroundings, Chaucer understood well the thinking of his contemporaries.
While the book does contain some inaccuracies, even these help the reader to better understand the thinking of the day: for example, some of the stories will reference foreign or ancient countries and speak of their “knights” and “priests”, even though many of these countries did not operate under feudalism or the same religious hierarchy.
Chaucer’s hometown, Kent, would have provided him with a unique perspective available to few others.
Family-Friendliness
-1 out of 5 Stars
TL;DR -
While not the majority, some stories in the Canterbury Tales center around acts of immorality or indecency, and occasionally these acts are “glorified”. This was not done because the acts were thought to be acceptable, but rather done to highlight the crude value system many people held.
In my own reading of the book, there were segments that I skipped over entirely because I felt that I could not, in good conscience, read them.
This is not to say that the book has a focus on lewdness. Far from it, in fact.
While some of the travelers tell tales of adultery, scandal, and trickery, Chaucer’s aim with these stories was not to indulge in fleshly passions, but rather to highlight the fact that many lived for nothing greater than pleasure.
In one instance, a few of the travelers (men, of which Chaucer notes, “had no virtue”) try to best each other with the most Gawdy story possible. The revelry ends with one of the men falling into a drunken stupor.
Again, this was done to inspire a distaste for acts of immorality, as the other travelers then forbid the revelers from participating in the group contest any longer.
While a good reminder to value purity and morality, Chaucer unfortunately does so without the tact that many future writers would use to warn their readers against evil.
Even here, Chaucer’s direct and somewhat brutal approach to the subject is indicative of Medieval thinking: tact, especially amongst common folk, was uncommon.
This being the case, while the book does carry a moral tone, it does so in a way that undermines the effect for modern, younger readers.
Keep in mind that, in the day the work was written, it was common for children or infants to attend public executions and the like. Decency was not common.
While the Canterbury Tales is an important literary work, it is not intended for all audiences, and should be read with caution.
Historical/Cultural Value
-5 out of 5 Stars
TL;DR -
The Canterbury Tales is one of the most comprehensive books on Medieval living, culture, thought, and belief. The book is a must-read for any adult student of Medieval life.
As stated previously, Chaucer had unique perspective and insight into Medieval life not only due to his location, but also his position.
Chaucer, being a common man, would have had much interaction with regular people. However, his proficiency in writing also brought him ample opportunity to serve in positions where he came into contact with nobility and clergy.
For anyone seeking to either replicate (accurately) medieval life in a work of fiction, or just trying to grasp the beliefs that governed the day, there is no better way to do so than to hear it straight from the mouths of Medieval people themselves.
The best teacher of Medieval culture? Medieval people.
Artistry
-5 out of 5 Stars
TL;DR -
The different tales in the book are each written in a different and unique rhyme scheme. Though varied, Chaucer performs admirably, displaying proficiency with rhythm, rhyme, and content across each of the styles. The book has well earned it’s reputation as fundamental to the entire English language.
The Canterbury Tales in particular, and Geoffrey Chaucer in general, were fundamental to the development of English as we know it today.
Chaucer is known historically as “The Father of English Literature”, a title he is not undeserving of.
Chaucer was the first to demonstrate that English could be used in poetic or beautiful ways. Until his time, Latin was regarded as the language of choice for anyone looking to produce literature or literary art.
Latin’s stranglehold on literature was to last many more centuries, but it was here that demonstration was given that English, too, could be a beautiful language.
Chaucer surpasses his own achievement in the fact that, not only is his work the first to prove the beauty of the English language, it remains one of the best.
It is no small feat for a work to be regarded as an authority for very long in one field, let alone several hundred years.
Despite the many works that have been produced since, The Canterbury Tales remains amidst the best of its kin in English literary works.
Indirectly, this started a school of thought that other beautiful and important works, such as the Bible, could be translated into English as well.
The writing of The Canterbury Tales planted a seed for the movement that would bring both academic and religious texts, including the Bible, into English.
Overall Rating
-4 out of 5 Stars
TL;DR -
The Canterbury Tales is a beautifully written, comprehensive dive into Medieval life. While, from a secular viewpoint, the book deserves a 5/5 rating, Chaucer’s techniques to demonstrate the condition of Medieval morals are unsuitable for younger audiences.
Thought the book may show its calloused, crude, and very…Medieval nature in some places, much of the book is a beautiful demostration of both the eloquence and power of the English language.
Coming soon (once I set up my affiliate program) will be links here and here to to places you can purchase both the same edition I read, as well as a version of the book written in prose.
I hope that this guide has been helpful in your consideration of this book. As always, if you have other questions, or other details you would like included in these articles, feel free to reach out to us at any time!
About the author
Carter John Cada is the founder of and main author for Quips from the Quiver. In his free time, he loves to read, spend time with his 10 siblings, read, work out, read, work on his manuscript, read, and read.
He also enjoys eating.
