Chaucer

"Chaucer" by Sir Adolphus William Ward is a look into the life of Geoffrey Chaucer, a major figure in English literature, by exploring the world he lived in and the forces behind his poetry. The essay tries to understand Chaucer's personality, his important writings, and the historical events that shaped his work. It begins by looking at Chaucer's time period, acknowledging that some details of his life, like his birth date, are not certain due to limited records making it difficult for researchers to construct a full story of his life. The essay also discusses the issues of Chaucer's time, like the plague and changes in social classes, and how these events connect to his writing, positioning him as a key person who reflected the complicated society of 14th-century England.