Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343–1400) was born in London into a prosperous wine merchant family. He served as a page, soldier, diplomat, and customs official, experiences that enriched his writing. His early works, such as The Book of the Duchess and Troilus and Criseyde, show French and Italian influences, especially from Dante and Boccaccio. Chaucer’s magnum opus, The Canterbury Tales, begun in the 1380s, presents a diverse group of pilgrims telling stories on a journey to Canterbury. Written in Middle English, it captures the social spectrum of 14th-century England with humor, realism, and psychological depth. Chaucer’s use of iambic pentameter and the heroic couplet influenced generations of poets. His legacy as the first major poet to write in English elevated the language’s literary status, making him a foundational figure in English literature.