While it’s difficult to ascertain a single father of the English language, the poet Geoffrey Chaucer is widely recognized as the father of English writing. It’s because although literature was produced in Old English, the language ceased to be used after the Norman invasion.
During this time, French and Anglo-Norman languages found currency and became the language favored by the higher classes. Only in the 14th century, did English begin to be used as a respectable language again. Geoffrey Chaucer’s literary input had a lot to do with this.
Chaucer’s most famous work is The Canterbury Tales. It is considered to be one of the greatest literary works in the English language. Thanks to Chaucer, English was established as a significant literary language.
Stalwarts like Shakespeare and Wordsworth came later and built upon Chaucer’s legacy, strengthening English’s position further in the world. Chaucer’s work is rife with humor and humanity – both characteristics espoused by the English language.
All that said, a language’s success cannot be attributed to a singular person. If a language finds popularity with its literature gaining acceptance by readers, it is because different people have worked tirelessly through generations to further the language’s reach. Geoffrey Chaucer, through his poetry, was one such person to have done so.