Published in 1476 Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is still considered an epoch-making creation for more than one reason. Esteemed as the most characteristic product of the European Renaissance, Canterbury Tales may also be regarded as the first travelogue in English literature. Composed in the background of fourteenth-century England, it still retains the elements of modernity.
The original plotconstruction is unique and interesting. Thirty-one pilgrims on their way from London to Canterbury spend nights at Tabbard Inn. To relieve boredom the host proposes a storytelling competition, each pilgrim would tell four stories, culling from. Unfortunately, Chaucer died leaving only twenty-four stories. The diverse social spectrum of fourteenth-century England has been projected: from nobility to peasantry are Chaucer’s characters. Plowman, Physician, Monk, Friar, Priests, Squires, Knight are some of the characters of the story.
Diversity in characterisation enables readers to have an insight into various social classes, professions and behavior. Hinting at one or two physical and mental traits the narrator projects the entire character. The Wife of Bath has gap toothed smile and Pardoner has hair as the fox. Chaucer evades portraying characters in black and white, each character has both strengths and weaknesses.
Characters are revealed through clothing, hobbies and activities. The Black Death that ravaged Europe in the fourteenth century cast a shadow in the story.
The poet has been charged as being biased against Church. True Chaucer mercilessly exposed the hypocrisy and corruption. The corrupt Pardoner sells false relics, the priests are greedy and Church fathers choleric. But chaucer did never inflict wounds, as a physician he intended to illustrate and to heal.
Humour is gentle having profound empathy for suffering breathen.chaucer as a historian upholds his time objectively. If he was a satirist, he was a reformer.
The Canterbury Tales enjoys enviable readership even today because of its universality. Chaucer travelled widely in France, Italy and of course In England.Experience as a traveller has made him philanthropist. Love for humanity made Canterbury tales readable in all ages. Interestingly interpreted dream long before Freaud wrote his thesis on dream psychology. In The Nun PriestsTale the fabled characters discuss scientifically the cause and impact of dream in real life. It is for Chanticlear and Perteloteif for nothing elsethat the modern readers would be allured to. dip into the realm of Canterbury tales.
Prof. Arunabha Dasgupta
Professor and Scholar in English Literature
Ex Prinicipal, Burdwan University, West Bengal
The Canterbury Tales has been published by several publishers, including Simon & Schuster, Penguin Classics and Scala Arts & Heritage Publishers Ltd. TW Review
