The Canterbury Tales: How Many Lines?

silvercat

How many lines are in The Canterbury Tales?

This is a difficult question to answer because there is no definitive answer. Some people believe that there are approximately 17,000 lines in The Canterbury Tales, while others believe that the number is closer to 23,000.

cathy_holmes

There are 24 tales in The Canterbury Tales, but the number of lines varies depending on which edition you're using. The original manuscripts have between 17,000 and 19,000 lines, but there are modern versions that have as few as 8,000 lines.

earl_hudson

There are 24 tales in The Canterbury Tales, but the number of lines varies from tale to tale. The Wife of Bath's Tale, for example, has 558 lines, while The Miller's Tale has 858 lines.