Geoffrey Chaucer was an English poet and civil servant who is well-known for establishing English as a literary language. Chaucer lived from 1343 to 1400, and during his life, he served as a custom’s official, diplomat, and courtier to the English throne. He is known for several major literary works including The Canterbury Tales, the Parlement of Foules, and The Book of the Duchess. Many of Chaucer’s works are inspired by French and Italian literature that he read while traveling, but Chaucer is notable for translating and adapting these works into English so that they could be read by a wider audience. Before Chaucer, many court poets wrote their literary works in French or Latin, even if they resided in England. After Chaucer, English became established as a literary language, and his influence caused a greater number of poems to be composed in the vernacular. 

Many of Chaucer’s works explore the problems of romantic love in a patriarchal and rigidly hierarchical society. Chaucer was known to have an interest in astrology and its impact on both human temperament and fortune. He composed a work entitled A Treatise on an Astrolabe for his son, wherein he explains how to make astronomical calculations using medieval technology.