Sometimes thought of as the foundation of English poetry, Geoffrey Chaucer’s life and work in the late 14th century may seem remote from the 21st. Yet, Chaucer continues to be read, retold, and reinterpreted today, both in the academy and in popular culture. This course will consider Chaucer’s work and its modern retellings to ask how and why he continues to matter. Alongside readings of Chaucer’s original poetry, we will consider modern adaptations and translations of his work into various media from film to hip-hop, Chaucer’s reappearance and uses in global contexts, and reinterpretations of his life and works amidst rapidly shifting political and cultural realities.