Geoffrey Chaucer, Retraction

Anita Obermeier (University of New Mexico)

Ed. by , Corinne Saunders, University of Durham
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.02: English Writing and Culture: High and Late Medieval, 1066-1485.
Vol. editors: Kate Ash-Irisarri (University of Edinburgh), Rory Critten (Université de Lausanne), David Fuller (University of Durham), Natalie Hanna (University of Liverpool), Hugh Magennis (Queen's University Belfast), Jamie McKinstry (University of Durham), Sarah Peverley (University of Liverpool), Sebastian Sobecki (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen)

Dates

First circulation or publication c. 1387

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Poetry (any)
Story

Resources

Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (CT) closes with a short prose text popularly known as Chaucer's Retraction (Ret). The Retraction is the second part of Fragment X (I), comprising twelve prose lines framed by the opening rubric, “Heere taketh the makere of this book his leve”, and the closing rubric, “Heere is ended the book of the tales of Caunterbury, compiled by Geffrey Chaucer, of whos soule Jhesu Crist have mercy. Amen.” The date is most likely later than 1387 but cannot be confirmed. Scholars have debated the authorship, authenticity, and meaning of the Retraction; earlier scholarship views it as Chaucer's deathbed confession, whereas more recent examinations vis-à-vis …

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2675 words

Citation: Obermeier, Anita. "Retraction". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 12 August 2008 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=19957, accessed 25 November 2024.]

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