Pre-1450 Manuscripts of the 'Canterbury Tales': Relationships and Significance

Author / Editor
Owen, Charles A.,Jr.

Title
Pre-1450 Manuscripts of the 'Canterbury Tales': Relationships and Significance

Published
Chaucer Review 23 (1988): 1-29, 95-116.

Description
The record of surviving manuscripts shows three patterns in the production of collections of CT: the gathering in of examplars for the specific occasion; the use as exemplar of an already written manuscript of CT; and the use of a collection of exemplars made for a previous manuscript.
No evidence connects the ordering to Chaucer. The text Chaucer wrote displays three different beginning and two different projected endings. It is time we gave up the impressions of completeness editors such as the Hengwrt-Ellesmere supervisor tried to give CT.

Chaucer Subjects
Manuscripts and Textual Studies.
Canterbury Tales--General.