10 Famous Authors Who Show Up As Characters In Their Own Work

7. Geoffrey Chaucer - The Canterbury Tales

Known for his cunning satire, unabashed grotesqueness and lyrical dexterity (and regarded as the Father of English Literature), it's no surprise to find Chaucer showing up in The Canterbury Tales, but it's awesome nevertheless. Chaucer drops himself into the tale amongst the rest of the pilgrims, functioning not only literally as writer and chronicler, but as the character through whom we witness the action and hear the rest of the tales. Who knew meta was cool even in the middle ages?

And thus in Southwark one spring day / At the Tabard, where I lay, / Ready to journey from the place / And seek the holy martyr's grace, / A merry group arrived to dine

At times accused of being naive, at other times for knowing too much about his fellow pilgrims, Chaucer's function seems to fluctuate as and when he needs to progress the story. Significantly, Chaucer is the only one of the pilgrims who manages to tell two stories, the first which is lambasted and the second which is warmly received.