Canterbury Tales or Shakespeare?

[Reader1793]

What is your opinion; that the Canterbury Tales were better than Shakespeare, or the other way 'round? To start the topic, I think that Shakespeare was better. Even though Chaucer reflected the ideas of his time, he was quite sexist and sometimes stereotyped. Shakespeare, only a few hundered years later, when women were still treated unequally, gave them greater roles. What do you think? Why?

[Melissa_W Moderator]

All of Shakespeare's female roles were performed by men until the Restoration (approx. 1670) - so about 75-100 years give or take.  He was essentially writing great roles for boys/young men.  They are now considered great women's roles (Lady Macbeth, Ophelia, Juliet, Viola, etc.) because few productions are mounted in the original style.

Shakespeare is eminently more quotable - written in Chancery Standard/Early Modern English it needs no translation - but Chaucer often has better puns, especially when read alound in the Middle English so you can hear the cadence.

If you haven't read it, Boccacio's Decameron is condsidered a direct influence on Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and contains a wide range of humor and pathos.

[keriflur]

I personally enjoy reading Shakespeare more than I enjoy reading Chaucer, as IMO Shakespeare is a better storyteller.  It's not much of a literary analysis, but I'd rather curl up on the couch with Twelfth Night than Canterbury Tales.

[bookwormmom4]

     If Chaucer were alive today I believe he would be a famous stand up comedian &/or a sit-com star.  He wrote comically about the falsehoods of people and the norms of society. 

     Shakespeare,on the other hand, was a brilliant businessman who wrote flowery poetry for the rich and raunchy one liners for the poor.  This type of writing to all classes kept the masses attending his plays.  Today we can compare him to Steven Spielberg or Aaron Sorkin.  Stories are serious with a touch of humor and romance.

     I guess it depends on my mood.  If I wanted light irony I would choose Chaucer or if I was looking for the big picture and deeper story I would choose Shakespeare.