'Canterbury Tales (Middle English)' Summary

The Canterbury Tales begins with a group of pilgrims assembled at an inn in Southwark, ready to embark on a journey to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket. The Host, Harry Bailey, proposes a contest: each pilgrim will tell a tale on the journey, and the best storyteller will receive a free meal at the inn upon their return. The tales themselves vary greatly in style and content, reflecting the personalities and backgrounds of their tellers. The Wife of Bath tells a story about a knight who must find out what women most desire, the Pardoner delivers a cynical sermon on greed, and the Miller tells a bawdy tale of a cuckolded carpenter. Through these tales, Chaucer satirizes the various social classes and institutions of his time, offering a glimpse into the beliefs and values of medieval England. The tales are also notable for their use of Middle English, which, while often difficult to understand for modern readers, offers a unique window into the language of Chaucer's time. Although not fully completed, the Canterbury Tales remains one of the most influential works of English literature.