Think Fifty Shades of Grey was the first book to shock readers with naughty stories and eyebrow-raising content?
Think again.
Back in the 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer was already stirring the pot with The Canterbury Tales — and let’s just say… it wasn’t all saints and sermons. 😏
📜 What are The Canterbury Tales?
A group of people are on a pilgrimage (think medieval road trip 🚶♂️🚶♀️).
To pass the time, each one tells a story — and wow, do they spill the medieval tea.
Some tales are romantic, some are serious… and others?
Let’s just say they’d make a few modern readers blush.
👉 Enter:
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The Miller’s Tale — full of love triangles, bathroom humor, and trickery
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The Wife of Bath’s Tale — bold, confident, and all about who really has the power in relationships
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The Reeve’s Tale — another one with major “scandalous content” energy
Yes, Chaucer really said: “Let’s talk about love, power, sex, lies, and fart jokes — in verse.” 🤯
🔥 So how does it compare to Fifty Shades?
| The Canterbury Tales (c. 1400) | Fifty Shades of Grey (2011) | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Middle English (wild stuff) | Modern, casual English |
| Format | Tales told by travelers | One big dramatic romance |
| Spicy factor 🌶️ | Hidden in metaphor & innuendo | Right in your face 😳 |
| Main theme | Variety of voices & stories | Power + control in romance |
| Female POV? | The Wife of Bath owns it 💅 | Anastasia Steele’s diary 📝 |
| Controversial then? | Oh yes. Clergy were shocked 😱 | Very much. Critics freaked out 📚🔥 |
🤔 What’s the point?
Both books:
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Made people uncomfortable
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Got people talking
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Explored power, desire, gender, and control
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And let’s face it… both went viral in their own centuries.
💡 Final thought:
Chaucer walked so E. L. James could wear high heels in the Red Room.
👀 Coming soon:
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Medieval memes: What if the Wife of Bath had Instagram?
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“Which Canterbury character are you?” Quiz
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Books that shocked readers before TikTok existed
Tell me in the comments:
Would you rather read tales told by pilgrims... or step into a billionaire’s apartment full of secrets?
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