The Criyng and the Soun

The Chaucer Metapage Audio FilesThese are links to web pages with excerpts from Chaucer's works read by professors. The main purpose of these recordings is to help students improve their pronunciation of Chaucer's Middle English. The emphasis is on accuracy of pronunciation, according to the most current scholarly thinking, though you will notice some individual variation among the readers. For an introduction to Chaucer's phonetics, grammar and vocabulary on the Harvard Chaucer site, including sound files of individual words for illustration, click here.

Compact Disks of complete texts of individual works by Chaucer can be purchased from The Chaucer Studio Web Site. An excellent book, including a cassette tape, on how vocal performance can affect the interpretation of Chaucer's characters is Betsy Bowden's Chaucer Aloud: The Varieties of Textual Interpretation (Philadelphia: U. of PA Press, 1987). See also Alan Gaylord's article "Reading Chaucer: What's Allowed in 'Aloud'," Chaucer Yearbook, I (1992): 87-109.

These sound files are in RealAudio format. If you do not have the current version of RealPlayer, each web page gives you the opportunity to download it first. The text accompanies the sound file on each web page. When the audio begins, users can click on the page and scroll down as they listen.

From The Canterbury Tales

• The General Prologue, ll. 1-34 read by Alan Baragona of VMI
  
  
• The General Prologue, ll. 1-18 read by Jess B. Bessinger, from the old Caedmon Recording
  
  
• The General Prologue, ll. 1-18 read by Tom Hanks of Baylor University
  
  
• The General Prologue, ll. 1-18 read by Larry D. Benson of Harvard University (WAV format)
  
  
• The General Prologue, ll. 1-14 read by Jane Zatta of Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville
  
  
• The General Prologue, The Knight's Portrait read by Alan Baragona of VMI
  
  
• The General Prologue, The Prioress's Portrait read by Alan Baragona of VMI
  
  
• The General Prologue, The Wife of Bath's Portrait read by Tom Farrell of Stetson University
  
  
• The General Prologue, The Miller's Portrait read by Alfred David of Indiana University
  
  
• The Knight's Tale, The Tournament read by Tom Farrell of Stetson University
  
  
• The Miller's Prologue, complete read by Alan Baragona of VMI
  
  
• The Miller's Tale, Nicholas Seduces Alisoun read by Alfred David of Indiana University
  
  
• The Wife of Bath's Prologue, ll. 1-22 read by Marie Borroff of Yale University
  
  
• The Wife of Bath's Tale, The Wedding Night read by Alan Baragona of VMI
  
  
• The Envoy to The Clerk's Tale, complete read by Alan Baragona of VMI
  
  
• The Pardoner's Tale, the Rioters Meet the Old Man read by Alfred David of Indiana University
  
  
• The Opening of The Nun's Priest's Tale read by Alison Baker of California State Polytechnic University.
  
  
• The Nun's Priest's Tale, Chauntecleer Describes Pertelote's Beauty read by Alfred David of Indiana University
  
  
• The Nun's Priest's Tale, the Ending read by Alan Baragona of VMI

From Troilus and Criseyde

• Criseyde's Misgivings, from Troilus and Criseyde, Book II, ll. 449-504 read by Susan Yager of Iowa State University
  
  
• From the Closing of Troilus and Criseyde, Book V, ll. 1828-1841 read by Tom Farrell of Stetson University

From the Dream Visions

• The Book of the Duchess, the opening read by Susan Yager of Iowa State University.
  
  
• The House of Fame, the Eagle's Summation, ll. 848-869 read by Tom Farrell of Stetson University

From The Legend of Good Women and the Short Poems

• The Legend of Good Women, Prologue, Text F, ll. 1-39 read by Alison Baker of California State Polytechnic University.
  
  
• "To Adam Scryven" read by Tom Farrell of Stetson University
  
  
• "Truth" read by Susan Yager of Iowa State University
  
  
• "The Former Age" read by Susan Yager of Iowa State University
  
  
• "Lak of Stedfastnesse" read by Alan Baragona of VMI
  
  
• "Gentilesse" read by Alan Baragona of VMI
  
  
• "To Rosemounde" read by Alan Baragona of VMI