Reading Rabelias
October 01, 2015
A few choices here to suit your tastes. If you can do it, start with Pantagruel and read right through(!) Pantagruel was written first, but has traditionally been placed after Gargantua, which is a "prequel."
Here are three strategies for reading this book. Try the one that works best for you:
A. Start with Gargantua from Chapter 23 to the end. Then move on to Pantagruel, Book IV.
B. Pantagruel, Prologue and chapters 1-9, 16, 23-34
Gargantua, Prologue and chapters 1, 3-8, 14-17, 21-32, 34-36, 48-58
Gargantua, Prologue and chapters 1, 3-8, 14-17, 21-32, 34-36, 48-58
In the M. A. Screech edition, the corresponding pages are:
Pantagruel pp. 11-62; 86-91; 118-164
Gargantua, pp. 203-211; 215-233; 250-260; 268-307; 313-319; 356-379
C. Gargantua, Chapter 6
Pantagruel, Book III: Chapters 1-3, 7-9, 13-1, 45-47
Pantagruel, Book IV: Chapters 43, 48, 55-56
Pantagruel, Book V: Chapters 39-40, 47