Geoffrey Chaucer
Fiction
Poetry
Geoffrey Chaucer (c.
1343-1400) was an English poet, author, and civil servant best known for The Canterbury Tales.
He is considered the "father of English literature" and was the first writer buried in Poets' Corner at Westminster Abbey.
Chaucer wrote in Middle English, legitimizing its use in literature when French and Latin dominated.
He also worked as a bureaucrat, courtier, diplomat, and member of parliament.
His other works include The Book of the Duchess and Troilus and Criseyde.
Chaucer's life and work are complex and often elusive, with many personas revealed through his writings and historical records.
His manuscripts contain the first attestations of nearly two thousand English words.
