March 31, 2009
The Cantebury Tales
Written by Geoffrey Chaucer
"Thus swyved was this carpenteris wyf,
For al his kepyng and his jalousye;
And Absolon hath kist hir nether ye;
And Nicholas is scalded in the towte.
This tale is doon, and God save al the rowte!"
—The Miller’s Tale, page 180
Fun Facts
- The Canterbury Tales are a collection of short stories written in Middle English in the 14th century.
- Chaucer’s work represents one of the first pieces of literature to refer to paper, which was a recent invention at this time.
- The use of vernacular English—instead of Latin or French—reveals the influential contribution The Canterbury Tales had on English literature.
- Chaucer was a popular and well-respected poet in his day, and is often referred to now as the Father of English Literature.
- The Miller’s Tale represents the second of Chaucer’s The Cantebury Tales.
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