Age of Chaucer IMP Writers

 Key writers after Chaucer—Hawes, Barclay, Ascham, Heywood, Still, Wycliffe—with major works for NET, SET, JRF, and PhD English Literature prep.

📘 Introduction:

Understanding the Post-Chaucerian and Early Renaissance writers is essential for aspirants preparing for UGC NET English Literature, SET, JRF, and PhD entrance exams. This transitional phase from Medieval to Renaissance literature introduced remarkable figures like Stephen Hawes, Alexander Barclay, Roger Ascham, John Heywood, John Still, and John Wycliffe—each playing a crucial role in shaping early English literary thought.

Stephen Hawes, with his allegorical masterpiece The Pastime of Pleasure, continued the Chaucerian tradition, while Alexander Barclay brought social satire alive through The Ship of Fools and pioneered English pastoral verse through his Eclogues. Roger Ascham, tutor to Queen Elizabeth I, became a key humanist figure with his works Toxophilus and The Scholemaster. The witty interludes of John Heywood, especially The Four PP, bridged morality plays and early English drama. John Still’s Gammer Gurton’s Needle is among the earliest English comedies. Lastly, John Wycliffe, known for the first English Bible translation, marks a turning point in religious reform and prose development.

This post explores their major works, literary significance, and relevance for NET English Paper 2. Bookmark this guide for your literature revision and exam preparation.

📚 The Age of Chaucer (1340–1400)

🔶 1. Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340–1400) – Father of English Poetry

• The Canterbury Tales

• Troilus and Criseyde

• The Book of the Duchess

• The House of Fame

• The Parliament of Fowls

• The Legend of Good Women

• Anelida and Arcite

• A Treatise on the Astrolabe

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🔶 2. John Gower (c. 1330–1408)

• Confessio Amantis (English)

• Vox Clamantis (Latin)

• Speculum Meditantis (French)

🔸 He was Chaucer’s contemporary and friend. Wrote in three languages: English, Latin, French.

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🔶 3. William Langland (c. 1332–1386)

• Piers Plowman
  🔸 Allegorical poem in unrhymed alliterative verse. Social and religious criticism.

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🔶 4. John Barbour (c. 1320–1395) (Scottish poet)

• The Brus (The Bruce) – epic poem celebrating Robert the Bruce.

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🔶 5. Thomas Hoccleve (c. 1368–1426)

• Regiment of Princes
  🔸 Devoted admirer of Chaucer. His works reflect personal struggles and political commentary.

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🔶 6. John Lydgate (c. 1370–1451)

• Troy Book

• The Fall of Princes

• The Siege of Thebes
  🔸 Monk of Bury, also influenced by Chaucer.

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🔶 7. Julian of Norwich (c. 1342–1416) – Mystic Writer

• Revelations of Divine Love
  🔸 First book in English known to be written by a woman.

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🔶 8. Margery Kempe (c. 1373–1438) – First Autobiography in English

• The Book of Margery Kempe

🔶 9. Stephen Hawes (c. 1474–1523)

• The Pastime of Pleasure (1509)

🔶 10. Alexander Barclay (c. 1476–1552)

• The Ship of Fools (1509) – translation/adaptation of Das Narrenschiff by Sebastian Brant

• Eclogues – among the first pastoral poems in English

🔶 11. Roger Ascham (1515–1568)

• The Scholemaster (1570) – educational philosophy, Latin learning, discipline
  🔸 Tutor to Queen Elizabeth I

• Toxophilus (1545) – dialogue promoting archery

🔶 12. John Heywood (c. 1497–c. 1580)

• The Four PP (Palmer, Pardoner, Pothecary, Pedlar)

🔶 13. John Still (1543–1608)

• Gammer Gurton's Needle (1553/1575)

🔶 14. John Wycliffe (c. 1320s–1384)

• First Translation of the Bible into English (Wycliffite Bible)

Conclusion:
    The contributions of Stephen Hawes, Alexander Barclay, Roger Ascham, John Heywood, John Still, and John Wycliffe reflect the transition from medieval allegory to humanist prose and dramatic realism. Their works laid the groundwork for the English Renaissance and provide essential reading for serious students of literature. For aspirants of NET, SET, JRF, or PhD in English Literature, understanding these authors is key to mastering the evolution of English literary history. Keep revisiting these names and their major texts to strengthen your literary foundation.