The Physician's Tale

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The Physician's Tale is one of the Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century.

This is a domestic drama about the relationship between a daughter and her father and it is one of the earliest extant poems in English about such subjects and relationships. The tale comes from the Histories of Titus Livius and is retold in The Romance of the Rose, John Gower's Confessio Amantis which Chaucer drew on for inspiration along with the biblical story of Jephtha. Most of the other versions of the story focused on the cruel and arbitrary officials but Chaucer was far more concerned with the daughter as the central figure. The story is considered one of the moral tales, along with the Parson's tale and the Knight's tale. However, the fate of Verginius renders questionable the moral assertion at the story's end. The Host enjoys the tale and feels for the daughter but asks the Pardoner for a more merry tale. The Pardoner obliges and his tale has a similar but contrasting moral message.

[edit] External links

• Read "The Physician's Tale" with interlinear translation

Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales
General Prologue | The Knight's Tale | The Miller's Tale | The Reeve's Tale | The Cook's Tale | The Man of Law's Tale | The Wife of Bath's Tale | The Friar's Tale | The Summoner's Tale | The Clerk's Tale | The Merchant's Tale | The Squire's Tale | The Franklin's Tale | The Physician's Tale | The Pardoner's Tale | The Shipman's Tale | The Prioress' Tale | Chaucer's Tale of Sir Topas | The Tale of Melibee | The Monk's Tale | The Nun's Priest's Tale | The Second Nun's Tale | The Canon's Yeoman's Tale | The Manciple's Tale | The Parson's Tale | Chaucer's Retraction
Other works
The Book of the Duchess | The House of Fame | Anelida and Arcite | The Parliament of Fowls | Boece | The Romaunt of the Rose | Troilus and Criseyde | The Legend of Good Women | Treatise on the Astrolabe

Preceded by The Franklin's Prologue and Tale

The Canterbury Tales

Succeeded by The Pardoner's Prologue and Tale