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Reading Chaucer in the original Middle English is a monumental chore; I certainly don't recommend it to the faint of heart or the dictionary-phobic. There are, however, some moments that are worth the effort, and almost all of them are found in the Canterbury Tales rather than in the many other works included in this volume. The Parliament of Fowls is a good read too, and a good pair with the Tales (both address Chaucer's feelings about the hierarchy of social classes). The best of the Tales are the Miller's Tale, the Wife of Bath's prologue (which is considerably longer than her tale), the Franklin's Tale, the Merchant's Tale, and, if you are an astrology nerd, the Knight's Tale. The Franklin's Tale is one of the most cerebral ones, relying less on the filthy and fun humor of the Miller's Tale and more on the traditions of good and thought-provoking storytelling (the fact that Chaucer and his family were actually Franklins (landowners) probably has something to do with his choice to show that character in a flattering light). Reading Troilus and Criseyde was a nightmare: if you want to read Chaucer and enjoy it, stick with the Tales and the Fowls.
