Anonymous

Middle English literature
In the 12th century, a new form of English now known as Middle English evolved. This is the earliest form of
English literature which is comprehensible to modern readers and listeners, albeit not easily. Middle English lasts up
until the 1470s, when the Chancery Standard, a form of London-based English, became widespread and the printing
press regularized the language. Middle English Bible translations, notably Wyclif's Bible, helped to establish English
as a literary language.

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English literature
2
Geoffrey Chaucer
There are three main categories of Middle English Literature:
Religious, Courtly love, and Arthurian. William Langland's 
Piers
Plowman 
is considered by many critics to be one of the early great
works of English literature along with Chaucer's 
Canterbury Tales
and 
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 
(most likely by the Pearl Poet)
during the Middle Ages. It is also the first allusion to a literary
tradition of the legendary English archer, swordsman, and outlaw
Robin Hood.
The most significant Middle English author was Geoffrey Chaucer
who was active in the late 14th century. Often regarded as the father
of English literature, Chaucer is widely credited as the first author to
demonstrate the artistic legitimacy of the vernacular English
language, rather than French or Latin. 
The Canterbury Tales 
was
Chaucer's magnum opus, and a towering achievement of Western
culture. The first recorded association of Valentine's Day with
romantic love is in Chaucer's 
Parlement of Foules 
1382.
[1]
The multilingual audience for literature in the 14th century can be illustrated by the example of John Gower, who
wrote in Latin, Middle English and Anglo-Norman.
Among the many religious works are those in the Katherine Group and the writings of Julian of Norwich and
Richard Rolle.
Since at least the 14th century, poetry in English has been written in Ireland and by Irish writers abroad. The earliest
poem in English by a Welsh poet dates from about 1470.