View source for Chaucer's Retraction

{{Short description|Part of the Canterbury Tales}}
"'''Chaucer's Retraction'''" is the final section of ''[[The Canterbury Tales]]''. It is written as an apology, where [[Geoffrey Chaucer]] asks for forgiveness for the vulgar and unworthy parts of this and other past works, and seeks absolution for his sins.

{{poemquote|text= Wherfore I biseke yow mekely, for the mercy of God,
that ye preye for me that Crist have mercy on me and me my giltes;
and namely of my translacions and enditynges of worldly vanitees, the whiche I revoke in my retracciouns:
as is the book of [[Troilus and Criseyde|Troilus]]; the book also of [[House of Fame|Fame]];
the book of The [[The Legend of Good Women|xxv. Ladies]]; the [[Book of the Duchess|book of the duchesse]];
the book of [[Parlement of Foules|seint valentynes day of the parlement of briddes]]; the [[Canterbury Tales|tales of counterbury]], thilke that sownen into synne;
the book of the Leoun; and many another book. 
|author=Geoffrey Chaucer
|title="Chaucer's Retraction"
|source=''The Canterbury Tales'' (1387)
}}

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 Prologue and Tale|The Parson's Tale]].  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.

{{poemquote|
That thanke I oure lord Jhesu Crist
and his blisful mooder, and alle the seintes of hevene,
bisekynge hem that they from hennes forth unto my lyves ende
sende me grace to biwayle my giltes,
and to studie to the salvacioun of my soule,
and graunte me grace of verray penitence, confessioun and satisfaccioun
to doon in this present lyf,
thurgh the benigne grace of hym that is kyng of kynges and preest over alle preestes,
that boghte us with the precious blood of his herte;
so that is may been oon of hem at the day of doom that shulle be saved.
Qui cum patre et spiritu sancto vivit et regnat deus per omnia secula. Amen.
}}

==External links==
{{wikisourcepar|The Canterbury Tales/Chaucer's Retraction|''The Canterbury Tales''/Chaucer's Retraction}}
*[http://www.umm.maine.edu/faculty/necastro/chaucer/ct/retr/ Modern Translation of ''Chaucer's Retraction'' and Other Resources at eChaucer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921020510/http://www.umm.maine.edu/faculty/necastro/chaucer/ct/retr/ |date=2008-09-21 }}

{{Chaucer}}
{{The Canterbury Tales}}

[[Category:The Canterbury Tales|Retraction]]

{{poem-stub}}