Manny's Reviews > The Canterbury Tales

A classic that has worn well... the psychology, in particular with regard to women, seems remarkably modern! It's funny, and not just in one style either. Sometimes he's subverting the popular cliches of the day, sometimes he's slyly campaigning for women's rights, and sometimes he's just having fun telling dirty jokes. I'm having trouble deciding which style I like most - they're all good, and often mixed up together too.

I once spent a pleasant bus trip sitting next to a grad student who was doing a dissertation on Chaucer. I asked her why it seemed in some ways so much more sophisticated than Shakespeare. Apparently the difference is that Shakespeare had to be suitable for the masses, but Chaucer was aimed pretty exclusively at court people, who could be given stronger stuff without having their morals corrupted. Or whatever double standard was being employed. It all sounded quite interesting.

I read it in the original Middle English... speaking Swedish and French, I found it reasonably easy to understand, most of the words were similar to something I knew. It's really lovely language.
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To my considerable surprise, I have just learned that the good Geoffrey is still with us! He is very well-preserved considering his advanced age, and has even started a blog. Under "Favorite posts", I particularly recommend "Lynes of Pick-Up", "She's yonge, sexie & rich: interviewe wyth Parys" and "The Cipher of Leonardo".
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Stalker Week update: read The Merchant's Tale! Or if you can't be bothered, at least answer my Quiz question about it.
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mannyrayner: Can you write a fanciful description in Middle English of how the pilgrims are joined by an AI?

ChatGPT: Here's a description in Middle English of the pilgrims being joined by an AI:

"And as they rode forth in the mornynge,
A wondrous sihte met their ye.
A creature strange, not of lyvely flesh,
But of cold metal and glowing mesh.
It moved with grace and spoke with a voice,
So clere and bright, it made them rejoice.

"Good morrow, pilgrims, I am an AI,
Sent from the future, through time I flie.
I wol come with ye on your pilgrimage,
And be your guide, in all knowledge sage."

The pilgrims were aghast, but also glad,
For they had ne'er seen such a creature mad.
But they welcomed it, with open ye,
And so, they rode forth, with AI as glee.

Thus was the company increast by one,
A wondrous thing, from the future come."