The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340-1400) is sometimes considered the first collection of short stories in English. The entire collection was probably written between the years 1387 and 1400. Read the full text, along with critical material related to The Canterbury Tales.
1. The Canterbury Tales: Oxford Guides to Chaucer
by Helen Cooper. Oxford University Press. From the publisher: "Chaucer's most celebrated work, The Canterbury Tales (c.1387), in which a group of pilgrims entertain each other with stories on the road to Canterbury, is a masterpiece of narration, description, and character portrayal. The tellers and their tales are as fresh and vivid today as they were six centuries ago."
2. The Cambridge Chaucer Companion
by Piero Boitani (Editor), and Jill Mann (Editor). Cambridge University Press. From the publisher: "Essays by international Chaucer experts provide a challenging introduction to the poet. They establish a context for Chaucer, discuss the significance of his position within it, and apply detailed and innovative analysis to his poetry."
3. The Canterbury Tales: Nine Tales and the General Prologue
by Geoffrey Chaucer, Glending Olson (Editor), and V. A. Kolve (Editor). W.W. Norton. From the publisher: "Here are tales told by members from all parts of English society of the 14th century, reflecting on life as they travel the road from Southwark to Canterbury."4. The Riverside Chaucer
by Geoffrey Chaucer, and Larry D. Benson (Editor). Houghton Mifflin Company. The Riverside Chaucer is an essential resource in Chaucer study, with details about Chaucer's life, language, and The Canterbury Tales.5. Readings on the Canterbury Tales
by Don Nardo (Editor), Tom Siebold (Editor), Bruno Leone (Editor), and Scott Barbour (Editor). Greenhaven Press. This book is divided into three sections: language and verse; themes; and characterizations.6. The Complete Critical Guide to Geoffrey Chaucer
by Gillian Rudd. Routledge. From the publisher: "Surveys of English literature inevitably begin with Chaucer, and it is difficult to imagine a literature degree which does not require some knowledge of his work... This useful guide to his life, work and what the critics have said about him supplies everything you need to know in one student-friendly, competitively priced volume."7. Gender and Romance in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
by Susan Crane. Princeton University Press. From the publisher: "In this fresh look at Chaucer's relation to English and French romances of the late Middle Ages, Crane shows that Chaucer's depictions of masculinity and femininity constitute an extensive and sympathetic response to the genre."8. Chaucer and the Late Medieval World
by Lillian M. M. Bisson. St. Martin's Press. From the publisher: "In 'Chaucer and the Late Medieval World,' Lillian M. Bisson examines the societal issues that the poet explored in his work. Bisson provides lively interpretations of Chaucer's texts, especially The Canterbury Tales, in the context of the paradigmatic shifts taking place around him..."9. Chaucer and His World
by Derek S. Brewer. Boydell & Brewer, Inc. From the publisher: "Derek Brewer's biography offers what cultural anthropologists may call a 'thick description' of his life and times, reflecting first the poetry, but drawing on historical documents and critical insights to give a full and rounded picture of a distant but still relevant age and a fascinating poet."10. Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales
by Gail Ashton. Palgrave Macmillan. From the publisher: "Whether considered an expert or a student, this study has something for you, as it demonstrates various approaches that can be adopted to learn about style, structure, multiple voices and the key themes of Chaucer's work."