Welcome to thecanterburytales.co.uk.
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of twenty-four stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. It is widely regarded as Chaucer’s magnum opus. The tales are presented as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together from London to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral.
It is revered as one of the most important works in English literature.
thecanterburytales.co.uk includes the complete text of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and a translation that aligns the spelling of the W. W. Skeat edition (OUP) with the Oxford English Dictionary.
According to the OED.com, for example, “whylom,” is spelt “whilom.” Like it, most words in current usage have been updated this way; words no longer in current usage have been modernised to their most recent instances (for example “fetisly” is spelt “featously”).
No attempt has been made to modernise the “-n” or “-en” word endings, which, whether in the translation or the original, can be largely read over or ignored when starting out with reading Chaucer (for example, “weren” can be understood as “were”).
The tales are free to read, though beyond Group A, you will need to register.
No offence is meant by the translation of any of the stories, which become nasty in places.
It is recommended to view this site on desktop rather than on a smartphone. On desktop the tranlslation is presented parallel with the original text, on smaller screens only the translation is shown.
It is also recommended to start with The General Prologue, and read through Group A, rather than (or before) choosing random tales.
For a shorter read though, try The Summoner’s Prologue.
Links to Wikipedia have been added to The General Prologue, and most of The Knight’s Tale, sometimes at the expense of the glossary in the subsequent stories.
Underlined words, when hovered over, present a definition or explanation, as demonstrated in the example below, Chaucer’s Ballade to Rosemounde.
ORIGINAL
Madame, ye ben of al beautè shryne
As fer as cercled is the mappemounde;
For as the cristal glorious ye shyne,
And lyke ruby ben your chekes rounde.
Therwith ye ben so mery and so iocounde,
That at a revel whan that I see you daunce,
It is an oynement unto my wounde,
Thogh ye to me ne do no daliaunce.
For thogh I wepe of teres ful a tyne,
Yet may that wo myn herte nat confounde;
Your seemly voys that ye so smal out-twyne
Maketh my thoght in Ioye and blis habounde.
So curteisly I go, with lovë bounde,
That to my-self I sey, in my penaunce,
Suffyseth me to love you, Rosemounde,
Thogh ye to me ne do no daliaunce.
Nas never pyk walwed in galauntyne
As I in love am walwed and y-wounde;
For which ful ofte I of my-self divyne
That I am trewe Tristan the secounde.
My love may not refreyd be nor afounde;
I brenne ay in an amorous plesaunce.
Do what you list, I wil your thral be founde,
Thoghe ye to me ne do no daliaunce.
Tregentil—-//—-Chaucer.
MODERN
Madame, ye been of all beauty shrine
As far as circled is the mappemonde;
For as the crystal glorious ye shine,
And like ruby been your cheeks round.
Therewith ye been so merry and so jocund
That at a revel when that I see you dance,
It is an ointment unto my wound,
Though ye to me ne do no dalliance.
For though I weep of tears full a tine,
Yet may that woe mine heart not confound;
Your seemly voice that ye so small out-twine
Maketh my thought in joy and bliss abound.
So courteously I go, with love bound,
That to myself I say, in my penance,
Sufficeth me to love you, Rosemounde,
Though ye to me ne do no dalliance.
Nas never pike wallowed in galantine
As I in love am wallowed and y-wound;
For which full oft I of myself divine
That I am true Tristan the second.
My love may not refreid be nor afound;
I bren aye in an amorous pleasance.
Do what you list, I will your thrall be found,
Though ye to me ne do no dalliance.
