The book is virtually unique in providing, in a single volume, a comprehensive analysis of The General Prologue which reflects the latest thinking. It places the work in the context of the social change in late fourteenth century England. The detailed reading of each section of the poem is supported by the author's own modernization of the text which enables the reader fully to understand Chaucer's Middle English. Also included, for purposes of comparison, are selections from contemporary writers such as Langland and Gower. The description of each pilgrim is analyzed in socio-historical terms, but emphasis is also placed on the writing as poetry. The author's aim is to give the reader the confidence to develop his/her own understanding of a work which is an essential part of the European literary heritage. NOTE A new cover has recently been uploaded for this book to reflect its inclusion in the author's Critical Introduction Series