14th Century English Poetry

The late 14th century saw perhaps the most significant contributions to English poetry between Beowulf and the Elizabethan poets. This flourishing of poetry, sometimes referred to as Ricardian Poetry, after Richard II, took place in two distinct areas. The London poets were represented by John Gower and Geoffrey Chaucer. The Northern poets were represented by William Langland and the author or authors of Sir Gawain and the Greeen Knight, Pearl, Patience and Cleanness.

The Northern Poets

The Northern poets are the victims of historical neglect, as they were towards the end of their line of alitterative poets.