The Story of the Canterbury Pilgrims by F. J. Harvey Darton
June 2017
If you like tales from the Age of Chivalry, here you go, this is the book for you. Originally published in 1914, this digital re-publication is a pleasant way to enjoy stories from Geoffrey Chaucer’s (c. 1343–25 October 1400) The Canterbury Tales without enduring the Middle English verse in which they were written.
Many writers have redone Chaucer’s tales in Modern English but Mr. Darton has the distinction of re-using the original literary device of having pilgrims on the way to Canterbury take turns with the tale-telling. This allows the reader to enjoy the interaction and personalities of the 14th century characters, especially the church officials (who mostly come off looking poorly). And then he adds some stories by other authors—John Lydgate (c. 1370–c. 1451), for example, who was a prolific contemporary of Chaucer.
Many writers have redone Chaucer’s tales in Modern English but Mr. Darton has the distinction of re-using the original literary device of having pilgrims on the way to Canterbury take turns with the tale-telling. This allows the reader to enjoy the interaction and personalities of the 14th century characters, especially the church officials (who mostly come off looking poorly). And then he adds some stories by other authors—John Lydgate (c. 1370–c. 1451), for example, who was a prolific contemporary of Chaucer.