Chaucer's genius at understanding basic human nature made him the great poet he was. He knew the world from many aspects, and he loved most of his characters. It's difficult not to like such characters as The Wife of Bath, even with all her bawdiness, or the Miller with his vulgarity that amuses rather than offends sophisticated readers. Chaucer presents the world as he sees it, and he shares one quality with all great writers: He is a delight to read.
However, you might feel left out of the loop when it comes to reading Chaucer's old-fashioned brand of English. For a creative break from old English, try listening to a sample of The Rap Canterbury Tales, a project that grew from Baba Brinkman's 1990 thesis project. The website features rap lyrics for several of the tales, as well as audio clips from The Rap Canterbury Tales album.
