Without him, English literature might look very different.

Geoffrey Chaucer died on October 25, 1400, and was buried in Westminster Abbey, near the house where he lived. At a time when the elite often wrote in French or Latin, Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales in English, a lively collection of stories told by pilgrims from every walk of medieval life.

He is often called the father of English literature. Two centuries later, the poet Edmund Spenser was buried near his tomb, and that corner of the Abbey slowly became known as Poets' Corner.

Why it still matters: Chaucer helped prove that everyday English could carry great poetry.

Which classic book do you think everyone should read at least once?

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