Chaucer planned to write a long series of stories in verse, so as to describe his native country, its people and their way of life, and to express the experiences of the native people in the native language, thereby developing a national literature. Before Chaucer, there was the deadening influence of French language and literature (after the conquest of 1066) on the native English language and literature. Chaucer lifted the ‘vulgar’ (common) vernacular into a literary language, its expressive power and dignity, and sowed the seeds of modern English poetry (and literary standard in general). Besides the Latin, Greek, French and even Italian ‘prestige’ languages, native English language also began to become the medium of poetic expression after Chaucer this is why Chaucer is often called the father of English poetry. - See more at: http://www.bachelorandmaster.com/britishandamericanpoetry/the-canterbury-tales.html#.Vx9kAvl97IU