This Juxta Commons collation compares the B-Text and the A-Text of Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th century Prologue to the Legend of Good Women. The legends were composed around 1386, but the prologue was written earlier and substantially revised later. It is therefore available in two versions, the A-Text and the B-Text. The B-Text is generally considered the final version, but there are substantial differences between the prologues, both in organization and content. The A-Text exists only in manuscript (Cambridge University Library Gg. 4.27) and is sometimes designated “C.” The B-Text follows the Fairfax manuscript, and is sometimes designated “F.” The plaintext files are sourced from the Online Medieval and Classical Library, prepared and edited by Douglas B. Killings. Thanks to my colleague Katie Peebles for her inspiration!
Heatmap: B-Text as Base, showing differences from A-Text
Screenshot: Side-by-Side Comparison + Histogram
View a live side-by-side comparison of A-Text and B-Text here.
Tonya Howe 