The story starts at the Tabard Inn in London, where 30 strangers from all walks of life—knights, millers, nuns, and even a "lusty" five-times-married woman—gather for a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket in Canterbury .
If you think "classic literature" is just dusty old books about people talking politely in drawing rooms, you haven’t met the cast of . Written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the late 14th century, this "wonderful mess" of a book is essentially the medieval version of a rowdy road trip podcast. The Ultimate Road Trip Premise
Why Chaucer’s "The Canterbury Tales" Still Hits Different in 2026
To pass the time, the host of the inn proposes a contest: every traveler tells four stories (two there and two back). The prize? A free dinner paid for by the rest of the group. While Chaucer never actually finished all 120 planned stories, the 24 we have are a wild ride through human nature. 'Man of Law's Tale'; The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer