A portly Miller, barely able to sit on his horse, rambles on about the flighty wife of a crotchety old carpenter and the scholar she takes as her lover. This might sound like a bawdy joke, but it's part of one of the most esteemed works of English literature ever created: The Canterbury Tales. Iseult Gillespie shares everything you need to know to read Geoffrey Chaucer's classic collection. [TED-Ed Animation by Anton Bogaty].

Iseult Gillespie: Everything you need to know to read "The Canterbury Tales"

Everything you need to know to read "The Canterbury Tales"

Chaucer's work, a tapestry of tales from various societal perspectives, offers a vivid glimpse into Medieval life and language.

Through tales of love, deceit, and humor, The Canterbury Tales invites readers to judge its characters, making it timeless.

The Canterbury Tales, a blend of lofty and lowly narratives, reveals Medieval society's quirks through satirical storytelling.