Well, for a start, Chaucer lived some 200 years before Shakespeare did. And although they both spoke English, Shakespeare spoke Modern English but Chaucer spoke Middle English, which means that they would not have been able to understand each other. Another difference is that Shakespeare was a professional writer. Chaucer was not; he was a civil servant.
No, Chaucer wrote during the Middle English period. Shakespeare came more than 200 years later.
couplets
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English actor, poet, theatre owner and playwright who wrote numerous poems but is most famous for his plays, some of which, such as Hamlet, are counted as the greatest plays ever written. Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) was an English civil servant who also wrote poetry, and is most famous for his unfinished poetic cycle The Canterbury Tales. Chaucer lived more than 200 years before Shakespeare and spoke a different language. Chaucer's language was Middle English; in the following 200 years the language changed enough to become Modern English, the language of Shakespeare and the language we speak today. Some further connections: Chaucer's patron and employer was John of Gaunt, who was a character in Shakespeare's play Richard II. Chaucer wrote a poem and Shakespeare wrote a play on the same subject: the tale of Troilus and Cressida from the Iliad.
Geoffrey Chaucer
William Shakespeare
It is possible that Shakespeare could have read the works of Geoffrey Chaucer as Chaucer's writings were well-known and influential during the Renaissance period. Shakespeare's own works show elements that may have been influenced by Chaucer's writing style and themes. However, there is no definitive evidence to suggest that Shakespeare specifically read Chaucer's works.
No, Chaucer wrote during the Middle English period. Shakespeare came more than 200 years later.
William Shakespeare and Geoffrey Chaucer were both prominent English writers, but they lived in different time periods. Chaucer was a medieval writer known for works like "The Canterbury Tales," while Shakespeare was a Renaissance playwright famous for plays like "Hamlet" and "Romeo and Juliet." Shakespeare likely drew inspiration from Chaucer's works, but they did not have a direct relationship.
couplets
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English actor, poet, theatre owner and playwright who wrote numerous poems but is most famous for his plays, some of which, such as Hamlet, are counted as the greatest plays ever written. Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) was an English civil servant who also wrote poetry, and is most famous for his unfinished poetic cycle The Canterbury Tales. Chaucer lived more than 200 years before Shakespeare and spoke a different language. Chaucer's language was Middle English; in the following 200 years the language changed enough to become Modern English, the language of Shakespeare and the language we speak today. Some further connections: Chaucer's patron and employer was John of Gaunt, who was a character in Shakespeare's play Richard II. Chaucer wrote a poem and Shakespeare wrote a play on the same subject: the tale of Troilus and Cressida from the Iliad.
Geoffrey Chaucer
William Shakespeare
The writings of Chaucer, Spenser, and Beaumont belong to a different literary style and period. Actually that may be true of Chaucer, but not of Spenser and Beaumont who were Shakespeare's contemporaries. Spenser was a poet and sonnetteer just like Shakespeare (his sonnets are quite similar), and Beaumont was a playwright, who even had the same partner as Shakespeare (Fletcher) No, in his dedicatory ode which appears in the First Folio he says this: I will not lodge thee by Chaucer or Spenser or bid Beaumont lie A little further to make thee room; Thou art a monument without a tomb And art alive still while thy book doth live And we have wits to read, and praise to give. Jonson is saying that there is no need to bury Shakespeare because he is immortal through his art, a sentiment which Shakespeare often expressed in his sonnets.
Geoffrey Chaucer was not a contemporary of Shakespeare.
I will read anything I can get my hands on on this subject.
DEANNE WILLIAMS has written: 'FRENCH FETISH FROM CHAUCER TO SHAKESPEARE'
Bronte, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Faulkner.