“誰的故事說得最好,就能有一頓免費的晚餐。” 一群聚集在倫敦郊外旅店的朝聖者決定在前往坎特伯里的路上分享自己的故事,藉以排解旅途上的無聊。這群朝聖者來自社會中的各個階級,包含騎士、僧侶、工匠及主婦等。他們講述的故事內容橫跨愛情、辯論、寓言和遊記等不同主題。 'Whoever best acquits himself, and tells The most amusing and instructive tale, Shall have a dinner, paid for by us all...' In Chaucer's most ambitious poem, The Canterbury Tales (c. 1387), a group of pilgrims assembles in an inn just outside London and agree to entertain each other on the way to Canterbury by telling stories. The pilgrims come from all ranks of society, from the crusading Knight and burly Miller to the worldly Monk and lusty Wife of Bath. Their tales are as various as the tellers, including romance, bawdy comedy, beast fable, learned debate, parable, and Eastern adventure. The resulting collection gives us a set of characters so vivid that they have often been taken as portraits from real life, and a series of stories as hilarious in their comedy as they are affecting in their tragedy. Even after 600 years, their account of the human condition seems both fresh and true. This new edition of David Wright's acclaimed translation includes a new critical introduction and invaluable notes by a leading Chaucer scholar.