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4.34 of 5 stars
This edition provides the general information on Chaucer's life, language, and works that one needs for a first reading of Chaucer, and difficult w... read full description

reviews

Jun 01, 2010
Abigail rated it: 4 of 5 stars
This massive tome, 1327 pages in length, was the text used in my college Chaucer class, and provides a wonderful introduction to the works of this brilliant, but frequently under-appreciated poet. It contains all of Chaucer's major works, presented in their original Middle English; and includes the famous Canterbury Tales, The Book of the Duchess, The Parliament of Fowls, Troilus and Criseyde, and many other short pieces. The introduction and appendices provide some very useful background materi More...
2 comments like (3 people liked it)
Sep 24, 2011
Robert is currently reading it
The Franklin's Tale is the last of the thematically linked "Marriage Group" and apparently some critics think it is meant to be Chaucer's view on the subject; marital success comes from understanding, forgiveness and hard work. It's a "rash promise" story where-in some-one instead of making an outright refusal, instead promises something in case of meeting an apparently impossible set of conditions. This is always a mistake, since a magician or some such always comes along an More...
2 comments like (5 people liked it)
May 22, 2011
Faith rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Chaucer is my love. Middle English is ridiculously hard for us Modern English-ers to read, but Chaucer is oh so worth it. I bought this for my Chaucer seminar, which focused on everything but the Canterbury Tales. Can I just say that everyone should read Troilus and Criseyde? No one knows about it but extreme English dorks (like myself :P ), but most scholars think it his greatest work. It's wonderful, and the characters will make you SO ANGRY! The men are so awful!
So, my conclusion. Read More...
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Mar 31, 2009
Alex rated it: 5 of 5 stars
I may be a total nerd, but devoting a semester to reading Chaucer in middle English has been one of the best academic decisions I have ever made. One of Chaucer's short poems, The Book of the Duchess, written to condole Chaucer's patron John of Gaunt after he lost is beloved wife Blanche, Duchess of Lancaster, is among the most beautiful I have ever read. My class began to read it a year after the death of another angel, Eve Carson, UNC student body president. I'm finding it difficult to put in More...
Aug 11, 2010
Mark rated it: 5 of 5 stars
This is the greatest edition of one of the greatest authors. Perhaps Shakespeare is greater. Perhaps.

Chaucer's ability to capture the variety and earthiness of human life is unparalleled. He is the poet of human nature.
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Dec 08, 2008
Paul rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Okay, if you're even THINKING about getting this book, understand one thing up front: it is in the original. I don't recall if it has a "translation", but I do recall having to learn how to adjust my thinking to wrap my head around Chaucerian middle english. All in all, though, I'm glad I read it in the "original" - you get things that you normally wouldn't otherwise.

Second thing - this book is heavy. Really heavy. Like I could club an endangered species over the h More...
Feb 05, 2012
Keith rated it: 4 of 5 stars
For eight centuries people have enjoyed The Canterbury Tales, and I’m glad to add my name to that list. It is an immense work covering a wide range of stories and people. In scope and range it is unprecedented in the English language. (Only Spencer’s The Fairy Queen can rival it in scale).

Being such a large, diverse work, I must admit I’ve barely gotten a taste of the entire piece having read only several of the tales and the prologue. (My goal is to read it all by 2013.) I’ve been More...
Jul 12, 2010
David rated it: 5 of 5 stars
I discovered the other evening that I can read Middle English. I bought this book about 15 years ago and stuck it on the shelf. Only picked it up again on a whim, and found the language amazingly 'earthy', the words rolling and alive in my mouth as I read aloud. Not at all like the translations, which are like saccharine syrup when compared to the chopping, guttural and yet beautiful real thing. Translations always miss much, so I'm glad I picked up the lingo so easily. An effortlessly acquired More...
May 31, 2008
Maggie rated it: 3 of 5 stars
Reading Chaucer in the original Middle English is a monumental chore; I certainly don't recommend it to the faint of heart or the dictionary-phobic. There are, however, some moments that are worth the effort, and almost all of them are found in the Canterbury Tales rather than in the many other works included in this volume. The Parliament of Fowls is a good read too, and a good pair with the Tales (both address Chaucer's feelings about the hierarchy of social classes). The best of the Tales More...
Oct 11, 2007
Taka rated it: 3 of 5 stars
I was apprehensive about reading Chaucer due to what I thought was an incorrigible phobia - so unfortunately and tragically cultivated during high school - for everything that is Chaucer. "Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote..." What? What? What?

Well, having read, in Middle English, Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, The Parliament of Fowls, The House of Fame, his translation of Boethius's The Consolation of Philosophy (titled "Boece"), and Troilus and Crisseyde More...
Sep 10, 2011
Joshua rated it: 4 of 5 stars
THE book to pick up if you want to enjoy Chaucer. Excellent work. Highly recommended. The Canterbury Tales are, of course, fantastic but pay attention to Chaucer's shorter works, especially The Book of the Duchess. The high medieval dream vision motif is employed in Duchess in a very interesting way. If you enjoy reading tales about Courtly Love (as in the Arthurian legends) then Book of the Duchess is for you.
Nov 05, 2009
Jessica rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Chaucer is brilliant. I think he's better than Shakespeare at concealing his own opinions and manipulations. It's hard to know where Chaucer stands on any of his stories and characters or when to take him seriously and when he's just having fun. That's part of what makes his work so complex and interesting. Must reads: "The Canterbury Tales," "Troilus and Cressida," and "Parliament of Fowls." Enjoy.
Feb 23, 2009
Beth rated it: 5 of 5 stars
We used this book extensively in my 2 favorite upper-level Chaucer courses and it was great. It probably helped that the professor was very engaging and enthusiastic about Chaucer. He helped us with the linguistics and made it interesting. It actually really helped with my later Shakespearean studies. I highly recommend this collection.
Mar 14, 2011
Rachel rated it: 3 of 5 stars
Read for EN2003: Mediaeval and Renaissance Texts, 2010 - 2011

We had to read 'The Miller's Tale' and 'The Franklin's Tale' for our course. I have to admit, I wasn't exactly impressed by the former, although it was interesting to learn about the background of fabliaux, and our Old English department put on a wonderful dramatisation of it! But not really my style of humour. 'The Franklin's Tale' was much more interesting, especially with all of the unanswered questions and comparisons t More...
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Jul 10, 2011
John rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Chaucer is clever, human, and incredibly fun to read aloud. That said reading I don't think I would have enjoyed The Canterbury Tales (the only portion I've read) 1/100 as much had I been reading the text on my own—I owe much of my enjoyment to a fantastic professor/class.
May 08, 2009
Matt rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Full confession: I haven't read the entire thing. I have read most of it. Yes, it's in Middle English. Yes, it is awesome. Also, you totally feel accomplished once you've read a good chunk of it. Makes you feel all hardcore and stuff. Chaucer is the mad note.
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Apr 26, 2008
Patrick rated it: 4 of 5 stars
I won't lie and say that I read everything in here in the Middle English. The rating is partially due to the quality of the book (physically, it's one of the nicest looking books I have seen) and the critical material that is also contained within. The introductions and glossary and footnotes are outstanding. Reading the stories without context, I would likely rate them a 2 or 3, but Chaucer deserves some respect considering the time period of their composition. Very clever for him as somewhat o More...
Aug 30, 2010
Jww rated it: 5 of 5 stars
This is a beautiful text! It is well formatted and contains Chaucer's work in Middle English (with, of course, tools to help the uninitiated reader). This is a classic that I will always have on my bookshelf.
Jan 29, 2010
Jerry rated it: 5 of 5 stars
What can be said about Chaucer? He is one of the pillars upon which British literature is built. There is nothing to equal the Canterbury Tales in the annals of Western literature.
Oct 03, 2009
Pat rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Bought this for class. It's great, but there are cheaper editions of the ME text out there as long as you don't need to know about the manuscript sources, alternate readings, etc.
Jan 06, 2009
Drew rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Once you get the hang of middle english (it's possible) everything in here is extremely rewarding, often funny, and often poigniant regarding the man.
Sep 01, 2010
Ann Marie rated it: 4 of 5 stars
So, I bought the very expensive version, not knowing that a cheaper paperback was available. Oh, well. Troilus and Criseyde is my favorite.
Oct 14, 2011
Phil rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Single-handedly the most comprehensive collection of Chaucer's works. Comes with a translation dictionary if you will for easy reference.
Aug 12, 2010
Chery rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Nothing like Middle English. Sure, I've read Chaucer modernized, but this is the way it was meant to be read.
Feb 09, 2012
Paul rated it: 5 of 5 stars
What can I say? It's Chaucer! This anthology is a collection if everything Chaucer ever wrote. Sweet.
Jun 17, 2010
Lynne rated it: 5 of 5 stars
How can you not love his range from bawdy humor to deep pathos in The Canterbury Tales? First read in 2003.
Nov 08, 2009
Beth rated it: 2 of 5 stars
Okay, so this is THE book for Chaucer studies. However...and this is a big however...it is NOT a reader-friendly edition. The way the footnotes are set up is completely asinine, in my opinion. This is a great edition for Chaucer scholars who have been reading Chaucer for decades and know the stories well and read Middle English just as easily as they read the newspaper. For people not in those categories, this is not the ideal edition. Look for an edition that gives definitional glosses out More...
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Mar 14, 2011
Ian rated it: 5 of 5 stars
one of the Top three books on my shelves that I will grab on my way out if the house catches fire.
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Dec 21, 2008
Katie rated it: 4 of 5 stars
I did not read this edition. I read a much earlier edition..all in Middle English....sigh. when I had a mind...
Nov 17, 2010
Jen rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Chaucer is essential in an intellectuals library; also all the gender bending!Awesome.