"Chaucer's Retraction" is the final section of ''
The Canterbury Tales
''The Canterbury Tales'' () is a collection of 24 stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. The book presents the tales, which are mostly written in verse, as part of a fictional storytelling contest held ...
''. It is written as an apology, where
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer ( ; – 25 October 1400) was an English poet, author, and civil servant best known for ''The Canterbury Tales''. He has been called the "father of English literature", or, alternatively, the "father of English poetry". He w ...
asks for forgiveness for the vulgar and unworthy parts of this and other past works, and seeks absolution for his sins.
It is not clear whether these are sincere declarations of remorse on Chaucer's part or a continuation of the theme of penitence from
The Parson's Tale
"The Parson's Tale" is the final tale of Geoffrey Chaucer's fourteenth-century poetic cycle '' The Canterbury Tales''. Its teller, the Parson, is a virtuous priest who takes his role as spiritual caretaker of his parish seriously. Instead of t ...
. It is not even certain if the retraction was an integral part of the Canterbury Tales or if it was the equivalent of a death bed confession which became attached to this his most popular work.
External links
Modern Translation of ''Chaucer's Retraction'' and Other Resources at eChaucer
Retraction
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