Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343–1400) was an English poet, diplomat, and civil servant born in London, often called the father of English literature. Serving the court under three monarchs, he wrote in the vernacular English rather than Latin or French. His Canterbury Tales, composed in the final decade of his life, gathers stories told by pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Thomas Becket. His other major works include Troilus and Criseyde, written in rhyme royal, and The Parliament of Fowls. His handling of iambic pentameter shaped English prosody for centuries. He was the first writer buried in Poets' Corner at Westminster Abbey.