Who is Geoffrey Chaucer and why is he important?
Geoffrey Chaucer (/ˈtʃɔːsər/; c. 1340s – 25 October 1400) was an English poet and author. Widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages, he is best known for The Canterbury Tales. He has been called the “father of English literature”, or, alternatively, the “father of English poetry”.
What impact did Geoffrey Chaucer have on the English language?
Writing in Middle English, the vernacular as it was spoken in the 14th century, indicated a major shift in British Literature. Chaucer was a master of the language. He managed to create realistic characters and replicate a natural conversational tone within the constraints of formal poetry.
What is the main theme of the Canterbury Tales?
Social satire is the major theme of The Canterbury Tales. The medieval society was set on three foundations: the nobility, the church, and the peasantry. Chaucer’s satire targets all segments of the medieval social issues, human immorality, and depraved heart.
Why Geoffrey Chaucer is called the father of English poetry?
Geoffrey Chaucer is called the father of English literature because he was the first to write what became generally well-known and recognized poems and stories in the language of the common people of his time – medieval English. First, he is one of the first English poets that we know by name.
Who is called as poet’s poet?
Edmund Spenser was first called the ”poet’s poet” in an essay by Charles Lamb.
How was English spoken in the 1700s?
Fortunately, English spoken in the 1700s is quite similar to what is spoken today. “You” and “ye” were used only when multiple people or respected figures were being spoken to. “Thou” and “you” are used as the subject of a sentence while “thee” and “ye” are used as direct or indirect objects.
Why English is important in 21st century?
It soon made lots developing countries realize that if you want to benefit from globalization, people need to be able to speak English, as the common language to communicate, negotiate and help the rest of the world. …