Playing the Canterbury Tales—The Continuations and Additions

Extant manuscripts and early printed editions of Geoffrey Chaucer's classic Middle English collection of tales often include post-Chaucer continuations and additions that have been purged from modern editions as spurious and apocryphal, says Higl (Winona State U.). He argues that the best way to understand the additions and changes after Chaucer's death in 1400 is as interactive fiction, and that they are as historically revealing and important as any other widely read literature. He considers reclaiming the spurious and apocryphal, thresholds to the Tales, the many John Lydgates in the world of the Tales, the movable parts of Northumberland MS 455, Geoffrey's games in the Tale of Beryn, playing games with the plowmen, and answering the riddle of the Cook's Tale. Annotation Ac2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Andrew Higl is an assistant professor of English at Winona State University, USA.