Middle English period (1066 A.D - 1500 A.D)

This period is consisted of three divisions. This divisions are -

1. Anglo - Norman period,
2. The age of Chaucer and    
3. Barren Age                                                   

                                               

            Anglo - Norman period (1066 A.D - 1350 A.D)  

• It was the second period of English literature. 
• Roger Bacon was a famous literary person in this period. His famous work is 'Opus Majus'.
• The Norman's were originally a hardy race of sea Rovers inhabiting in Scandinavia (Scandinavia is a historical cultural-linguistic region in Northern Europe characterized by a common ethno-cultural Germanic heritage and related languages that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden).
• Anslem was the author of 'Cor Deas Homo'.  

                                                                                             

The age of Chaucer (1350 A.D - 1400 A.D)

• Chaucer was the famous poet of 14 th century. He is the 'Father of English poetry'. 
• He was also politician. In 1386, he was elected a member of parliament from Kent.
• Chaucer sent to foreign countries on diplomatic missions from 1370 - 1378.
• Chaucer's potential works are broadly divided -

                                                                                 1. French period (1359 - 1372)

                                                                                 2. Italian period (1373 - 1386)

                                                                                 3. English period (1386 - 1400)

• Chaucer's chief works are -

           * The Canterbury Tales,.

           * The house of Fame,

           * The Parliament of fouls,.

           * The Legend of Good Woman,

           * The Book of the Duchess.

• William Langland and John Wycliff were Chaucer's Contemporaries.
• William Langland's works -

                                                  * Piers Plowman

                                                  * Richard the Redeless

• John Wycliff in the 14 th Century translated the Bible into English for the first time, which earned him the title 'Father of English prose'.
• William Caxton was the first English printer. He established the first English printing press in 1476.                                      

Barren Age (1400 A.D - 1485 A.D)

Barren age started after the death of Chaucer in 1400. In this period there was no real improvement of English literature. So this period is called Barren Age. This Barren Age ended in 1485 A.D. After Barren Age, real rebirth of English literature began at the time of The Renaissance.