The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer
An April journey, a genial host, and a series of stories make up this masterpiece of British literature written in the fourteenth century. In The Canterbury Tales, a band of men and women meets at an inn to begin a pilgrimage to the shrine of Thomas à Becket. The inn's host suggests that they while away their time on the long journey by telling stories. He offers a feast when they return to honor the best teller of tales. Chaucer has filled the story with characters who vary widely in social standing, occupation, morality, and wit. The pilgrims come to life through the narrator's often caustic descriptions and through the tales they tell.
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