Chaucer: The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales - John Cunningham

'Above all, the pilgrimage itself is a sign of people's need for a faith in troubled times,' writes John Cunningham in this perceptive and thought-provoking critical study. What did the Prologue mean when it was written? What could it mean to today's readers?

Discussing Chaucer's life and times, exploring his characters and the framework of the Tales, this study attempts to provide some answers to these questions. It includes the complete text of the Prologue with notes on facing pages and a helpful glossary.

Described by The Times Educational Supplement as admirable' and Yuperb, PENGUIN CRITICAL STUDIES is a specially developed series of critical essays on the major works of literature for use by students in universities, colleges and schools. The cover shows Chaucer, a detail from the Ellesmere Manuscript (photo: Bridgeman Art Library) Beginnings of light foxing