The best English poet before Shakespeare was Geoffrey Chaucer, who is also known as “the first discoverer of our language.” About 1342/43 after his birth, he passed away in London, England, on October 25, 1400. His "The Canterbury Tales" is one of the best poetic works in English. He significantly influenced how public affairs were handled in the second half of the 14th century as a courtier, diplomat, and civil servant. During that time, he enjoyed the trust and assistance of three subsequent kings: Edward III, Richard II, and Henry IV. But he is best known for his pastime of writing poetry.

In 1357, Chaucer began hunting for employment with the court. The position Chaucer would have held at the court of Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster, the spouse of Lionel, Earl of Ulster (after Duke of Clarence), was that of a gentleman’s gentleman, or essentially a butler. A young man in this position would be serving the aristocracy of the court, who need both entertainment and housekeeping assistance. Chaucer must have moved quickly because he was a talented composer and storyteller. Two of Chaucer’s early works, "The Book of the Duchess" and "The Parliament of Birds" are highly influenced by French poetry because the countess was French. Chaucer was initially influenced by French writers like Eustache Deschamps and Guillaume de Machaut.

Chaucer, known as the first English author, wrote in English at a time when Latin was regarded as the grammatical, or language that would not change, and the majority of upper-class English spoke French. Readers and academics have been perplexed by Chaucer’s decision to use the working-class Saxon language rather than the noble Norman tongue for centuries. Chaucer himself used French translations of Latin texts regularly.

A sizeable percentage of Chaucer’s writings, including The Canterbury Tales (c. 1375–1400), were unfinished. Numerous recognized “modern” novelistic approaches, such as the use of psychologically complex characters, were inventions he made. Because the main characters in "Troilus and Criseyde" alternate between verbal and mental levels of reaction frequently, many people think that it was the first English novel.

An elegy for Blanche, John of Gaunt’s first wife, who passed away, may be found in "The Book of the Duchess", Chaucer’s first notable work. The mourner, who is a fictionalized version of the poet, and the Man in Black, who substitutes for Gaunt, are what distinguish the poem despite its abundance of traditional French embellishments. Chaucer uses a naive narrator in both "The Book of the Duchess" and "The House of Fame", which uses a lighthearted interpretation of the guide-narrator link of Dante and Virgil in the Commedia. The talkative Eagle guides the ignorant “Chaucer” in a similar fashion to how the talkative Virgil guides the naive Dante. The issues Chaucer covered in The Parliament of Birds, a prequel to "The Canterbury Tales", include the conflict between Nature and courtly love, the use of different voices for all the characters, and the social classes of birds. Troilus and Criseyde will also touch on these subjects.

English poetry's founder:

Chaucer still occupies a significant place in the canon of English literature. Chaucer has long been considered the "father of English poetry," and contemporary English poets have tried to emulate his writing style. He was one of the first poets of his period to compose only in English, in contrast to his contemporaries John Gower who wrote in Latin, French, and English. Chaucer is credited with being the father of English poetry. Edward Albert refers to him as "The earliest of the great moderns." Chaucer is a symbol of the change from the Middle Ages to the Modern Era. He has been called "The Morning Star of the Renaissance". His poetry displays a sense of the medieval. It also exhibits the Italian Renaissance. He lived during the Renaissance era in England. Chaucer was honoured for his genius multiple times during the next 150 years.

Chaucer is the first outstanding national poet of England. Because he was free from outside influences, he played a significant role in the beginning of modern English poetry. He employed his language as the medium for his artwork. Gower, though, used Latin and French. Chaucer concentrated his energies on enhancing his tongue. He used it as a platform for his artistic expression.

Chaucer shines in the art of characterisation. He portrays each of the men and women with a sharp yet sensitive distinction by taking a honest look at his characters. His impression of carelessness, economy, importance, and variation in each detail are examples of the highest form of art that hides art.

As a humorous:

In essence, Chaucer possessed a gift for humour. He was a true master of humour and irony. Chaucer was without a doubt the first real joker in English literature, and it was because of his humour that he was able to win over his readers' hearts over the long run. The uniqueness and superb caliber of his writing are honestly and chiefly attributable to his skilful use of satirical and humorous approaches. In reality, laughter was the cornerstone of his entire worldview and the inspiration for all of his creative endeavours. Because of his sense of humour, his poetry was a source of joy.

He belonged to the exclusive group of the best humorists in English literature and is appropriately grouped with Dickens, Fielding, and Shakespeare. He was a wonderful master of comedy. One of Chaucer’s greatest assets and traits is his sense of comedy, which lends his works a brilliant and exceptionally alive touch. He might be regarded as the first significant English humorist.

As a realistic:

The men’s and women’s images in Chaucer are stunningly accurate. The reality serves as a reminder of the general incompatibility between profession and practices, notably in the case of clerical pilgrims. The way Chaucer handles his travelers suggests that social barriers are melting. The setting for “The Canterbury Tales” is remarkably true to life. A pilgrimage was among the most popular sights in England in the fourteenth century. To relate the stories of these journeys to a genuine world as opposed to a made-up one, Chaucer creates the impression of a real universe. The more realistic the setting of his stories is, the more they resemble fiction even if some of them deal with actual everyday life. Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales” remained realistic the entire time, in contrast to Boccaccio’s works, which quickly descended into obvious artificiality.

Chaucer’s contemporaries:

William Langland: Include William Langland, who was born to a meager freeman in London and was raised as a shepherd. He then began working as a clerk for a church. The work of "Piers Ploughman" was extremely successful. The long-forgotten principles of men’s equality before God and the honour of labor were the foundation of the poem. Because of his work, Langland is regarded as a social reformer.

John Wyclif: He was a renowned academic whose contributions, like Langland’s, had a significant impact on society. In his work in his native tongue, he spoke to the needs of the regular people rather than the privileged. His English Bible translation gradually made its way across the country, replacing the various regional languages with a uniform national style of English writing. He was regarded as a “religious reformer” and the “father of English prose” because he translated the Bible.

John Mandeville: Mandeville wrote the well-known book “Voyage and Travail of Sir John Maundeville,” which was originally released in 1356. It was written in the midland dialect, which is England’s literary tongue.

The year after the passing of the king’s father, John of Gaunt, and Henry’s accession to the throne, 1400, saw Chaucer’s demise. Chaucer was buried at Westminster Abbey primarily because it served as his final residence and is located on its grounds. He was regarded as being so important as a poet that the area around his burial became known as the Poets’ Corner, and notable personalities in English literature were buried there.