The Canterbury Tales : Geoffrey Chaucer : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive (original) (raw)

LibriVox recording of The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer.

The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century (two of them in prose, the rest in verse). The tales, some of which are originals and others not, are contained inside a frame tale and told by a group of pilgrims on their way from Southwark to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral.
The themes of the tales vary, and include topics such as courtly love, treachery, and avarice. The genres also vary, and include romance, Breton lai, sermon, beast fable, and fabliau. The characters, introduced in the General Prologue of the book, tell tales of great cultural relevance.
The version read here was edited by D. Laing Purves "for popular perusal" and the language is mostly updated.
(Summary by Wikipedia/Gesine)

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Reviews

Reviewer: Spygirl51 -favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - November 23, 2021
Subject: To language complainers

Step up and donate your time to read Chaucer in your best Middle English, or step down in silence. Geesh, give the readers some credit, some appreciation at least.

Reviewer: ℊ℮øღεтεя -favorite - March 12, 2018
Subject: Sad! Baby! Low energy

I don't know who thought giving random audiobooks voice overs the job of reading the ENTIRE canterbury tales, but I hope they never go anywhere near classic literature again. They should be demoted to the office janitor. FFS

Reviewer: emelye -favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite - August 25, 2011
Subject: Wife of Bath's Tale Review

Excellent reading of the middle english text (untranslated, thanks!) with modern vowels. Very listenable and clear.

Reviewer: ApolloReed -favoritefavorite - June 4, 2011
Subject: Very Poor Middle English

It is obvious that this reader has studied little or no Middle English pronunciation. If it is your intent to listen to this recording to improve your Middle English, search for Jess B Bessinger Jr.'s reading of the General Prologue.