The complete text of Chaucer's "General Prologue", from the Riverside text, is presented here with detailed support on the portraits of individual pilgrims. This edition has comprehensive notes on the text and an Approaches section offering commentary and activities on key themes, such as Chaucer's portrayal of medieval society and his ironical tone. Also included is practical guidance on how to read Middle English, a pronunciation guide, a full glossary, and extracts from important contemporary texts, such as the "Roman de la Rose" and "Piers Plowman".