The Canterbury Tales

Credits and rights

Original writer

Geoffrey Chaucer

Publisher of this edition

BoingyBooks Classics

Original publisher

Project Gutenberg

Adaptation credits

John Shoufler / BoingyBooks Classics — digital edition

Original source / edition

The Canterbury Tales

License

Public Domain

License link

https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

Rights and adaptation notice

This work is in the public domain. John Shoufler published this digital edition through BoingyBooks Classics. The original work remains public domain and may be copied, adapted, and shared.

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1387-1400)

Thirty pilgrims journey from London to Canterbury Cathedral, each telling a tale to pass the time. From the bawdy Miller's Tale to the noble Knight's Tale — a panoramic portrait of medieval English society told with humor, humanity, and genius.

Historical Significance:
Chaucer began The Canterbury Tales around 1387 and worked on them until his death in 1400, leaving the collection unfinished (24 of a planned 120 tales). Written in Middle English rather than Latin or French, the Tales established English as a legitimate literary language. Chaucer drew on Boccaccio's Decameron for the frame narrative but created something uniquely English — a cross-section of 14th-century society from knight to nun to drunken cook, each speaking in their own voice. The Wife of Bath, with her frank defense of female sexuality and serial marriage, is one of literature's most vivid and modern characters — created 600 years ago. Chaucer is called the "Father of English Literature" for good reason.

This public domain classic was originally composed c. 1387-1400. Free to read and share.