Mediaeval Tales

Project GutenbergProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 485K words
Chapters: 49

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Mediaeval Tales by Henry MorleyAuthor: ,Language: English, Class: PN: Language and Literatures: Literature: General, Criticism, Collections, Release Date: Feb 16, 2009

Editor's review

Compiled by Henry Morley and released as a free eBook through Project Gutenberg, Mediaeval Tales is a selection of medieval stories for English-language readers. Morley, a nineteenth-century British editor and champion of popular education, generally chose material that balances readability with representativeness; the book can be seen as an entry point to medieval narrative literature. For Chinese readers its value lies not in scholarly depth but in offering low-threshold access to the genres, motifs, and storytelling methods of medieval tales. It is best read as supplementary material for cultural and literary history, with attention to the beliefs, customs, and values behind the stories. Since it is an English-language original without Chinese annotations, readers should have some English proficiency and some background in medieval history. Overall, it suits readers seeking an anthology for extensive or interest-driven reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Beginner readers curious about medieval literature and culture
Literature lovers with some English proficiency who want to practise reading originals
Teachers and students who need free English texts for extracurricular extensive reading
Readers who enjoy story collections and want to learn about Western narrative traditions

Not a good fit for

Beginners with weak English who rely on Chinese annotations
Researchers who need rigorous scholarly collation and detailed notes
Readers expecting modern retellings and an easy reading experience

Reading tips

Start by reading the table of contents and picking stories that interest you; there is no need to read straight through, which lowers the barrier to entry.
After each story, briefly note its genre and core motifs so you can compare them across the collection.
Read alongside brief materials on medieval European history and religion for better understanding.
Do not get bogged down in archaic expressions; grasp the plot first, then revisit the language details.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a complete history of medieval literature?

No. It is a story anthology that focuses on presenting medieval narrative works rather than systematically discussing literary development. If you need a literary-historical framework, pair it with a relevant general history or introduction; this book is better as a supplement to reading the works themselves.

Does the Gutenberg edition include notes to aid understanding?

The Gutenberg edition is usually a plain-text eBook with no detailed notes or introduction. Readers must look up background information and unfamiliar words themselves; a dictionary and an introductory account of medieval history and culture are recommended.

Can I read this book if my English is only average?

You can try, but it will be somewhat difficult. The language contains old-fashioned expressions, and there is no Chinese support. Start with a short piece, using a dictionary and background materials as you go; if the going is too hard, first read a relevant Chinese anthology to build background knowledge, then return to the original.

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About the author

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Project Gutenberg is not a single author but a nonprofit digital library founded by Michael Hart in 1971 and one of the world's earliest free ebook platforms. It relies on volunteers to digitize, proofread, and freely distribute public-domain works and is now operated by the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Its collection contains 2,692 works, mainly religious texts, epics, and story collections, including the King James Bible and the Douay-Rheims volumes, the epic Mahabharata, a literal translation of the Arabian Nights, and Danish editions of the Old and New Testaments. Public information is limited, and its nature is closer to a public-interest compiling and dissemination body; these texts are open to the public, easy to consult and circulate, and have had a profound influence on the spread of ebooks and the preservation of public-domain resources.