The Selected Canterbury Tales: A New Verse Translation

About this book

A poetically faithful and compelling translation of Chaucers classic. In the tradition of Seamus Heaneys Beowulf and Marie Borroffs Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sheila Fishers The Selected Canterbury Tales is a vivid lively and readable translation of the most famous work of Englands premier medieval poet. Preserving Chaucers rhyme and meter and faithfully articulating his poetic voice Fisher makes Chaucers tales accessible to a contemporary ear while inviting readers to the Middle English original on facing pages. Renowned for its astute character portraits (from the chivalrous Knight to the assertive Wife of Bath) timeless themes realistic representations of fourteenth-century English life and sheer energy of storytelling Chaucers Canterbury Tales should be available to everyone in all the richness of its meaning and meter. Choosing fourteen tales that range from the high style of courtly romance to raunchy ramblings and examples of religious zeal gone astray Fisher does justice to Chaucers masterwork in a way sure to attract a new audience of modern readers.