Chaucer on the Air
T would not have occurred to me that Chaucer might be adapted for broadcasting and still remain Chaucer. After hearing an NZBS production of The Pardoner’s Tale, adapted by Douglas Wight, I am convinced of the truth of the first of these at least; the story is a good one, and suitable for broadcasting, But of the second I am not so sure. The author has taken certain liberties with the original-putting it into prose to begin with-which are clearly necessary for modern broadcasting purposes, but which just as obviously must detract from the character of the original. Again I am not sure just how much this matters. Chaucer in his original form will not appeal to the general public, but there is a great deal which will, if suitably edited and presented. And I can see no real reason ‘why there should be any objection to this. Those who prefer their Chaucer in its original form can always have it that way; but for those to whom Chaucer is just something to be studied in schools, adaptations such as this can show how much of very real interest there is in his work even to-day. There will always be those who mutter "Sacrilege!" into their beards when they hear a programme of this sort, and turn hastily back to their study of the text. Chaucer himself would have been the first to laugh at being treated in this . Way. :
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19471121.2.21.6
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 439, 21 November 1947, Page 11
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244Chaucer on the Air New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 439, 21 November 1947, Page 11
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
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