The Canterbury Tales II cover art

The Canterbury Tales II

Modern English Verse Translation

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The Canterbury Tales II

By: Geoffrey Chaucer
Narrated by: Philip Madoc, Frances Jeater, John Rowe, Charlie Simpson, John Moffatt
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About this listen

Four more delightful tales from one of the most entertaining storytellers of all time. Though writing in the thirteenth century, Chaucer’s wit and observation comes down undiminished through the ages, especially in this accessible modern verse translation. The stories vary considerably from the uproarious Wife of Bath’s Tale, promoting the power of women to the sober account of patient Griselda in the Clerk’s Tale.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2002 Naxos AudioBooks Ancient, Classical & Medieval Literature Classics Epic European Poetry Themes & Styles World Literature

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Editor reviews

Chaucer's Tales are timeless, but they present the audio producer with a dual challenge in rendering the language and pronunciation for the modern ear and, at the same time, preserving the tone and spirit of Chaucer's lines. This excellent production of four of the best-known tales earns high marks for both modernization and preservation. The narrators' crisp enunciation and firm pacing convey the personality and social milieu of each teller, but never at the expense of clarity. The tales themselves reflect the range of Chaucer's voices, from the ribald to the sanctimonious. Frances Jeater as the Wife of Bath is a standout. The Reeve's tale of midnight shenanigans and the Nun's Priest's story of the rooster Chanticleer round out this outstanding set.
All stars
Most relevant  
The quality of this recording lies in the inspired selection of hugely talented actors performing the tales. Each one bringing the story, rhythm and rhyme together so skilfully that I found myself frequently laughing out loud and re listening to whole passages for the sheer joy of the language and performance. Bravo! Fabulous!

Can’t wait to hear the next tales.

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This is a really atmospheric performance by several different (well-chosen) voices performing the tales listed below. The performances are all appropriate for their diverse subject matter, and are interspersed by jaunty music which I really liked.
This performance uses the 1935 Frank Ernest Hill modern-language verse translation, which I found easy to follow but atmospheric.
- the Wife of Bath’s Tale
- the Clerk’s Tale
- the Reeve’s Tale
- the Nun’s Priest’s Tale

Atmospheric and enjoyable

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