The Canterbury Tales: In Modern English

532 Pages·1977·88.71 MB·English

by  Geoffrey Chaucer, Nevill Coghill

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PENGUIN / l> CLASSICS
THE CANTERBURY TALES
Geoffrey Chaucer was-born in London, the son of a vintner, in
about 1342. HeisknowntohavebeenapagetotheCountessofUlster
in 1357, and Edward HIvaluedhimhighlyenoughtopayapartofhis
ransom in 1360, after he had been captured fightingin France.
It was probably in France that Chaucer'sinterestinpoetrywasfirst
aroused. Certainly he soon began totranslatethelongallegoricalpoem
of courtly love, the Roman de la Rose. His literary experience was
further increased by visits to the Italy of Boccaccio on the King's
business, and he was well-read in several languages and on many
topics, such as astronomy, medicine, physics and alchemy.
Chaucerroseinroyalemployment, andbecameaknightoftheshire
for Kent (1385-6) and a Justiceofthe Peace. A lapseoffavourduring
thetemporaryabsenceofhissteadypatron,JohnofGaunt(towhomhe
was connected by hismarriage), gavehimtime tobeginorganizinghis
unfinished Canterbury Tales. Later his fortunes revived, and at his
death in 1400 he was buried inWestminster Abbey.
Theorderofhisworksisuncertain, buttheyinclude TheBookofthe
Duchess, The House ofFame, The Parliament ofFowls, Troilus and
Criseyde and a translation ofBoethius' De ConsolationePhilosophiae.
•
Professor Nevill Coghill held many appointments at Oxford
University, wherehewasMertonProfessorofEnghsh Literaturefrom
1957 to 1966, andlaterbecame Emeritus FellowofExeterandMerton
Colleges. Hewas bom in 1899and educated at Haileyburyand Exeter
College, Oxford, and served in the Great War after 1917. He wrote
several bookson Enghsh Literature, andhadakeeninterestindrama,
particularly Shakespearean. For manyyears hewas astrong supporter
of the Oxford University Dramatic Society, and produced plays in
London and Oxford. The book ofthe musical play, Canterbury Tales,
which ran at thePhoenixTheatre, London, from 1968 to 1973wasco-
writtenbyNevillCoghillincollaborationwith MartinStarkiewhofirst
conceived the idea and presented the original production. His trans-
lation of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde into modem Enghsh is also
pubhshed in the Penguin Classics. Professor Coghill, who died in
November 1980, will perhaps be best remembered for this translation
which has become an enduring bestseller.

GEOFFREY CHAUCER
'The
Canterbury
Tales
TRANSLATED
INTO MODERN ENGLISH
BY NEVILL COGHILL
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Thistranslationfirstpublished 1951
Revised 1958
Reprintedwithrevisions 1960
Reprintedwithrevisions 1975
Reprintedwithrevisions 1977
25 27 29 30 28 26
Copyright 1951 byNevillCoghill
©
Copyright NevillCoghill, 1958, 1960, 1975, 1977
Allrightsreserved
PrintedinEnglandbyClaysLtd,StIvespic
ExceptintheUnitedStatesofAmerica,thisbookissoldsubject
totheconditionthatitshallnot,bywayoftradeorotherwise,belent,
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FOR
RichardFreeman
Brian Ball
Glynne Wickham
Peter Whillans
Graham Binns

. .
. . . / have translated some parts of his
zvorksj only that I might perpetuate his
memoryyoratleastrefreshit^amongstmy
countrymen. IfI have altered him any-
wherefor the bettery I must at the same
time acknowledgey that Icouldhave done
nothing without him.
.
JOHNDRYDENontranslatingChaucer
Preface to the Fables
1700
Andsuch as Chaucerisy shallDrydenbe.
ALEXANDER POPE
Essay on Criticism
1711