First we visited the Cathederal and learnt about Thomas Beckett's murder and his Martyrdom and the reason why there were so many pilgrims heading to Canterbury in Medieval times. Although I studied History at school this was something we never covered and I'd heard of Thomas Beckett, Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales, but I didn't actually know the details... Now I do.
We went for a punt along the river whilst being told stories of the history of Canterbury, which was very pleasant, despite it being late September and we're meant to be in Autumn, the weather has been extremely kind so far.
We then went to an interactive museum called The Canterbury Tales and learned why Geoffrey Chaucer was making a pilgrimage to Canterbury from London and why there were many other pilgrims on the expedition with him or why they all decided to tell stories in the first place. I found this fascinating part of our Great British history. I was so impressed I bought my very own copy of The Canterbury Tales and I've just finished it, well the modernised English version, but still I understand what it's all about now!
I have to say I really enjoyed reading it and Chaucers' description of his fellow pilgrims did do justice to me being able to picture them all sat on their horses travelling along treacherous country roads to Canterbury during medieval times and the sense of humour of the age is also very transparent in his writing.
Some of the stories were a tad - dated - shall we say and I felt a bit 'hey ho' when I read them, especially about the love of a Princess and a chivalrus knight or two, I mean some of the stories the man falls in love as they stare at a woman they never speak to and end up working for them and following them around like love sick puppies, unable to speak of their love, but would kill anyone who tried to love said Princess instead... Today that would be classed as stalking!
However, I did like the moral tales from the Wife of Bath about the Knight learning his lesson about what women desire from a haggard old witch and the Pardoners Tale about three terrible young men with murder in mind plotting to meet Death, only to have Death meet them when their greed became too much.
All in all it was fun to read some old famous English literature, I feel a little more cultured and have a better understanding of some of my own countries earlier history... It may come in handy when writing about one of my older immortal characters in The Beyond!! You never know.
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