内容简介
TheprocessionthatcrossesChaucer'spagesisasfulloflifeandasrichlytexturedasamedievaltapestry.TheKnight,theMiller,theFriar,theSquire,thePrioress,theWifeofBath,andotherswhomakeupthecastofcharacters--includingChaucerhimself--arerealpeople,withhumanemotionsandweaknesses.WhenitisrememberedthatChaucerwroteinEnglishatatimewhenLatinwasthestandardliterarylanguageacrosswesternEurope,themagnitudeofhisachievementisevenmoreremarkable.ButChaucer'sgeniusneedsnohistoricalintroduction;itburstsforthfromeverypageofTheCanterburyTales.
作者简介
GeoffreyChaucer,consideredbymanytobeboththefatherofmodernEnglishpoetryandthefatherofthemodernEnglishnovel(forTroilusandCriseyde),alsodistinguishedhimselfinhislifetimeasacivilservantanddiplomatunderthreekingsofEngland.WhenhewastakenprisonerbytheFrench,theKinghimselfcontributedtohisransom.When,inlateryears,theKingwishedtorewardChaucerforhisservicestothecrown,hewasgranted--amongotherfavors--therighttodemandadailyjugofwinefromthepantryoftheroyalbutler.Towardtheendofhiscareer,hebecameaknightoftheshireforKent.ButitisforTheCanterburyTalesthatheisbestremembered.ThismasterpieceofEnglishliteraturemovedAldousHuxleytosay,"IfIdaredtowishforgenius,IwouldaskforthegracetowriteTheCanterburyTales."