Why was The Canterbury Tales notable in its time?

Answer 1

They were told because when they were traveling from England to Canterbury, they needed to pass the time. One of the pilgrims suggested that they take turns telling stories. The person with the best tale would get a meal paid for by all the other travelers. Unfortunately, Chaucer died before he could finish all the tales.

Answer 2

The Canterbury Tales was notable for its use of English vernacular instead of Latin, making the stories accessible to a wider audience. Chaucer's use of various storytelling techniques and vivid characters also added depth to the narrative, setting it apart from other works of the time. Additionally, the diverse range of characters and stories provided social commentary on English society during the Middle Ages.

Answer 3

The main historical importance of the Canterbury Tales is that it is the first major work in the main tradition of English literature.

Before the Canterbury Tales there was some doubt as to whether the dominant English metre was trochaic or iambic, whether it was tetrameter or pentameter, and whether English verse would develop to be alliterative or end-rimed.

The Canterbury Tales is written (mainly) in endrimed iambic pentameter - and this would become the default metre of English poetry for the next six hundred years.

There are many other aspect of the Canterbury Tales which make it a very special poem: but this is perhaps the most important of them all.

Answer 4

: it was written in Middle English and used vernacular.

Answer 5

because it is special