Pantagruel: Introduction, Dixain, Prologue and Chapters 1-9 (p. 1-74) Summary

Gargantua and Pantagruel by Francois Rabelais is a collection of five novels describing the life and adventures of the giant Pantagruel. The first book describes his education, the second relates the early life of his father, and the remaining three books follow his adventures while trying to determine whether or not his friend, Panurge, should marry. Gargantua and Pantagruel is a very entertaining and comical satire of many aspects of education, religion and life in general.

The Introduction claims that this is the first edition of Pantagruel which was dated either 1531 or 1532. The Dixain by Maitre Hughes Salel to Rabelais first applies the high literary accolade that claims his writing "mixes the useful and the sweet" (p. 9). The Prologue of the author addresses the chivalrous reader and...