The development of the English language can be broken down into four main stages: Old English (500-1066), Middle English (1066-1470), Early Modern English (1470-1650), and Modern English (1650-present). Old English was influenced by Old Norse and Celtic languages and had complex case systems. An important text from this period was the epic poem Beowulf. Middle English emerged after the Norman conquest and saw Latin, French and English used in different domains. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales was a seminal work from this time. Early Modern English saw the advent of printing and the language became more recognizable to modern readers. Shakespeare was a renowned playwright and poet during this stage who popular