* Chaucer's Works Were Widely Available: Chaucer's most famous work, "The Canterbury Tales," was a hugely popular text in England. It was copied and circulated widely, and there were multiple printed editions available by the time Shakespeare was writing.
* Shakespeare's Awareness of Chaucer: There are numerous instances in Shakespeare's plays where characters reference Chaucer, either directly or indirectly. For example, in "The Wife of Bath's Prologue" (part of "The Canterbury Tales"), the Wife mentions that she has read "all the tales of Geoffrey Chaucer." This suggests that Shakespeare would have been familiar with the works and their influence.
* Influence of Chaucer's Language: Shakespeare's language, particularly in his early works, shows clear influences from Chaucer. He uses similar archaic words and grammatical constructions, which were more common in the Middle English period (Chaucer's time) but less so in Shakespeare's time.
* Shakespeare's Education: Although Shakespeare's formal education is debated, he likely received at least a basic education in a grammar school. Classical literature was taught in these schools, and Chaucer's works would have been considered an important part of English literary history.
Conclusion: It's highly probable that Shakespeare was not only familiar with Chaucer's works but also deeply influenced by them. He likely read and studied them, incorporating elements of Chaucer's language, themes, and storytelling techniques into his own writing.