The Canterbury Tales

Author / Editor
Raffel, Burton, trans.

Title
The Canterbury Tales

Published
New York: Modern Library, 2008.

Physical Description
xxxvii, 626 pp.

Description
Modern English translation of CT (based on Robinson's second edition), following Chaucer's prose and pentameter and modernizing his syntax. Raffel relies on off-rhymes, slant-rhymes, and blank verse to approximate Chaucer's couplets and other verse forms and uses occasional accent marks to encourage rhythm.
Some names of the pilgrims are modernized (the Franklin is the "Landowner," the Manciple is the "Provisioner," etc.). Brief informational notes appear at the back of the book (pp. 599-626); an introduction by John Miles Foley (pp. xv-xxvii) emphasizes Chaucer's innovation and diversity.

Chaucer Subjects
Manuscripts and Textual Studies
Canterbury Tales--General