The Canterbury Tales
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Authors
Ambrus, Victor G.
Chaucer, Geoffrey
McCaughrean, Geraldine
Issue Date
1985
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Type
Book, Whole
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Abstract
First published in 1984 by Oxford University Press. This book helps students contextualize and visualize the stories of this great work. The Nun's Priest's Tale is introduced nicely on 26-27 with an all-too-precious Eglantine and some involvement from the Oxford student. The picture shared on the upper half of these two pages helps. The story itself is well titled: Nightmare Beast of the Firebrand Tail. I find the story very well told here. If you have ever heard the voices of a cock and a hen, I daresay you can imagine just how sweetly those two sang! I can imagine! Chanticleer telling Pertelote of his dream has this kind of imagination: I dreamed I was in the terraced gardens of this palace of ours. I was strolling between the ornamental lake and the maze, taking the air and viewing our estates. Indeed! What Pertelote here recommends is, very nicely, prunes. Made passionate by their argument, Chanticleer tries to embrace her but tumbles off the perch. Just right. The illustrations do this good telling of the tale justice. For example, the fox on 32 is all red. The chase on 34-35 is particularly well done. When Chanticleer has got free and the fox asks him to jump down and sing again, Chanticleer, in Latin I have never heard, answers Semel insanivimus omnes. We have all been crazy once. He translates for Renard What kind of a dumb-cluck do you take me for? This is fun. There is one more level of engagement here. At the end of his tale, Brother John asks Chaucer if he did not do well. Chaucer is riding with the group too.
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Publisher
Rand McNally
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DOI
Identifier
10131 (Access ID)