The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century. It is one of the most famous works in English literature and has been widely read and studied since its publication. The tales are told by various pilgrims on their way to visit the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. Each pilgrim tells four stories: two on the journey to Canterbury and two on their return trip.

The Odyssey is an epic poem written by the ancient Greek poet Homer. It tells the story of Odysseus, a hero who embarks on a long journey home after fighting in the Trojan War. Along his travels, he faces numerous obstacles and adventures before finally reaching Ithaca, his homeland. As one of the oldest surviving works of Western literature, The Odyssey has had immense influence throughout history, both within and outside of Greece.

The Pardoner's Tale is a short story from the Middle Ages that has been widely studied in the context of literature. It is the tale of three men who are on a pilgrimage to visit an old man whom they believe can give them some valuable life advice. Along their journey, they encounter Death, and each man makes his own deal with him before continuing on their way. At the end of their journey, they come across a tavern where they decide to rest for the night. Inside, there is an old man telling stories and selling pardons for sins committed against God or other people—hence why he is known as "The Pardoner." The three men ask him if he knows any good tales, and he responds by sharing one called "The Pardoner's Tale". In it, three young men set out looking for Death, but instead, they find a hoard of gold coins, which leads them to commit greed-induced murder amongst themselves. From this story, we learn how deadly sin can be when left unchecked; these characters eventually fall victim to avarice, which causes them great misfortune. This theme resonates throughout literature today, particularly within fantasy genres such as The Lord of the Rings, where characters must make choices between light and dark forces to achieve success or failure. The story also serves as a warning against indulging too much in worldly temptations like wealth without considering our actions carefully beforehand, because ultimately those decisions will determine our fate later down the line, either positively or negatively, depending on what path was taken initially. Furthermore, many literary critics have drawn parallels between the narrative structure found within "The Pardoner's Tale" and other classic works like Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. This is because both authors use moral themes like forgiveness and repentance, along with symbolic elements like death, to teach readers about human nature through stories instead of preaching directly at them. This was common for religious leaders to do in periodical writings at the time. Overall, "The Pardoner's Tale" stands out not only due to its content but also because it offers us insight into medieval culture while providing modern audiences with timeless moral lessons that are applicable even today.

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest and most influential pieces of literature in human history. It is an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia, believed to have been written sometime between 2100 and 600 BCE. The story tells the tale of a Sumerian king named Gilgamesh, who embarks on a journey to find immortality. Along the way, he faces many challenges and learns valuable lessons about life, death, and morality.

Enūma Eliš is a Babylonian creation myth that dates back to the 18th century BC. It tells the story of how Marduk, the god of Babylon, defeats Tiamat and her monstrous army in order to create heaven and earth. The epic poem consists of seven tablets that detail the struggle between gods and monsters as well as their eventual resolution through divine intervention.