Actually Chaucer wrote in Middle English. Think Beowulf for OE. That's English before the Norman conquest and its resulting infusion of French into English (which resulted in Middle English). They're pretty radically different. (Huh. And why isn't Beowulf on the list - at least in translation?)
/pedant
It's sad Chaucer is not on the list. I do regard him as the greatest and most influential writer of English in the canon. He wrote for the English court, which was just coming out from under Norman rule in the 14th century. French had been the language of the nobility for the past few hundred years, so when Chaucer, in his position at the court, wrote in English, it was a big deal. It brought the vernacular back into vogue. It also helped standardise the London dialect, which eventually evolved into the form of English spoken around the world now.
If you loved the Canterbury tales, I highly recommend Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde. It's a Trojan War set tragic romance, essentially. What's remarkable is not just the beauty of Chaucer's verse (and it is a beautiful poem) but his care with characterisation, especially of Criseyde. She is, historically, a reviled character for betraying Troilus and Troy. Chaucer really fleshed her out, made her smart and sympathetic. It was such a novel treatment of not just Criseyde, but of any female character, it was a big risk for Chaucer to write her this way. Sadly, his characterisation didn't go over well at court. His later works show the fallout from this, including, actually, The Canterbury Tales.
And now I'll shut up with the lit geeking. I just get a little excited whenever I see folks use the word 'love' near anything by Chaucer. :D
no subject
/pedant
It's sad Chaucer is not on the list. I do regard him as the greatest and most influential writer of English in the canon. He wrote for the English court, which was just coming out from under Norman rule in the 14th century. French had been the language of the nobility for the past few hundred years, so when Chaucer, in his position at the court, wrote in English, it was a big deal. It brought the vernacular back into vogue. It also helped standardise the London dialect, which eventually evolved into the form of English spoken around the world now.
If you loved the Canterbury tales, I highly recommend Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde. It's a Trojan War set tragic romance, essentially. What's remarkable is not just the beauty of Chaucer's verse (and it is a beautiful poem) but his care with characterisation, especially of Criseyde. She is, historically, a reviled character for betraying Troilus and Troy. Chaucer really fleshed her out, made her smart and sympathetic. It was such a novel treatment of not just Criseyde, but of any female character, it was a big risk for Chaucer to write her this way. Sadly, his characterisation didn't go over well at court. His later works show the fallout from this, including, actually, The Canterbury Tales.
And now I'll shut up with the lit geeking. I just get a little excited whenever I see folks use the word 'love' near anything by Chaucer. :D