who is a father of english literature

"The father of English Literature" is an expression reserved for Geoffrey Chaucer. He is best known for writing The Canterbury Tales, a collection of twenty-four stories written at the end of the 14th century. Chaucer was a prolific poet and author (as well as astronomer and diplomat) of English descent, and is credited with legitimizing Middle English with his canonical works. He also championed some of the most quintessential and enduring elements of Western poetry, including heroic couplets and iambic pentameter.
However, if we are considering more broadly any "father" of English Literature, many names could come into play. William Shakespeare, a playwright and poet of the 16th and early 17th century, made an immense impact on both English literature and English language. Given the time period in which he produced his works, perhaps he would be referred to as "the father of Modern English Literature." Along these lines, the names Edmund Spenser, Charles Dickens, and John Milton also apply as "fathers of English literature."