The Pardoner's Tale Lesson

The Pardoner's Tale Lesson

This lesson will take us through the Pardoner's Tale and ask comprehension questions as we read it. This version of the Pardoner's Tale is adapted to modern English. Much is taken from SparkNotes.com's No Fear Translation.

Before we begin The Pardoner's Tale, let's review his Prologue which we completed last week.

Answer the following three questions about the Prologue.

Multiple Choice

CLICK THE CORRECT ANSWER: The Pardoner's Prologue informs his readers of his single purpose for speaking sermons and telling stories. What is his purpose? What is his purpose supposed to be as a Pardoner, a representative of the Catholic Church?

• His purpose is to help his listeners become better Christians and his purpose is supposed to be to help people become better Christians

• His purpose is to make money, which he freely admits, but his purpose is supposed to be to help people become better Christians

Multiple Choice

CHECK THE CORRECT ANSWER: In his prologue to his tale, the Pardoner describes the "trick" he plays on crowds who listen to his sermons. He says it earns him a hundred marks or dollars a year. What is the clever trick he describes to get the crowd to make an offering and buy his fake relics?

• He warns the crowd that his relics cannot help those who are guilty of very serious sins. He then tells the crowd that those who have committed small sins every once in a while should come make an offering and have their sins forgiven. So most come forward to make an offering because if they don't, others will think they are guilty of very serious sins.

• He arranges for one person in the crowd of listeners to stand up and tell how much more holy his life has been since listening to the Pardoner's sermons and how he feels spiritually fulfilled since he gave all of his worldly goods to the Pardoner. This person planted in the audience assures the crowd that he knows he is going to heaven because of the Pardoner's spiritual guidance.

Fill in the Blank

FILL IN THE LITERARY DEVICE: In The Pardoner's Prologue, he says he only preaches against the same sin--GREED. He calls greed the "root of all evil." But then he says that he only preaches to earn money. This is _______ because he explains how greedy he is, yet he preaches to others about how they should avoid greed because it is the "root of all evil." This is contrary to or the opposite of what readers expect. What literary device is this an example of?

Slide 1 of the Pardoner's Tale

THE PARDONER’S TALE by Geoffrey Chaucer

Once upon a time there were three young men who lived in Belgium who liked to live on the wild side. They partied, gambled, visited brothels, and went to bars where they stuffed themselves with food and wine and danced all night and day to the music of harps and lutes and guitars. They lived gluttonous lives of sin. They cursed and swore like sailors and would tear the blessed Lord’s body to pieces with their foul language and by using His name in vain. They encouraged each other to sin and would sit around and laugh at all the horrible things they did.

Slide 2 of the Pardoner's Tale

And then the thin and shapely dancing girls and the young girls selling fruit and the singers with their harps and the whores and women selling sweets would come over to them to seduce them and encourage them to sin—which is so easy for gluttons to do anyway. Just look in the Bible for all those instances when wine and drunkenness led to sin.

Multiple Choice

So far the Pardoner has mentioned which one of the seven deadly sins:

• greed

• gluttony

• wrath

Slide 3 of the Pardoner's Tale

The Pardoner is going to give several examples of stories from the Bible to get his audience thinking about how they might be guilty of the sin of gluttony.

Recall, for example, how Lot unknowingly had sex with his two daughters . He was in a drunken stupor and didn’t know what he was doing.

Or remember the story of Herod , the man who, when he was drunk and full from feasting, ordered John the Baptist’s execution, even though John hadn’t done anything wrong.

Slide 4 of The Pardoner's Tale

Seneca also talks about drunkenness. He says that drunkenness and insanity are one and the same, with the exception that insanity is a defect and lasts longer than drunkenness. Oh, gluttony is such an awful sin! It brought the downfall of mankind and doomed us until Christ saved us by sacrificing himself. Gluttony has caused so much trouble and corrupted the world so much.

You see, God banished Adam and Eve from Paradise to live lives of misery and toil because they were gluttons. Everything was fine in the Garden of Eden as long as Adam didn’t eat anything, but they got kicked out when he ate the forbidden fruit on the tree. Oh gluttony, we have every right to hate it!

Slide 5 of The Pardoner's Tale

Wine only leads to lecherousness, and drunkenness leads to fighting and misery. Let me tell each of you drunkards out there that your face is disgusting and fleshy, your breath reeks, and no one wants to touch you. You’re clumsy, you never know what you’re saying, and you have no sense of decency because the wine has ruined your intellect and ability to speak. You can’t even keep secrets when you’re drunk, and you make an awful wheezing sound through your nose that sounds like you’re saying, “Samson, Samson,” even though, God knows, Samson in the Bible never had a drop to drink. You should stay away from both white and red wine, particularly from those cheap wines from Lepe in Spain that are sold on Fishstreet and Cheapside. Drink that stuff and in no time you’ll be saying “Samson, Samson” for sure.

Fill in the Blank

FILL IN THE BLANK: More IRONY! The Pardoner has just said, "You should stay away from both white and red wine, particularly from those cheap wines from Lepe in Spain that are sold on Fishstreet and Cheapside." Odd that he knows exactly where to ____ these items.

Slide 6 of The Pardoner's Tale

Let me put it this way: All of the greatest deeds and triumphs you read about in the Old Testament that were done in the name of God, the omnipotent, were all done through prayer and without liquor. Just look in the Bible and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Gluttony isn’t the only horrible vice, though. Gambling is just as bad. Gambling rolls so many other vices into one, including lying and cheating. It goes against God and is the biggest waste of time and money. That’s why being called a gambler is such a great shame. And the richer you are, the more shameful it is if you gamble. No one likes a king who is a gambler, for example, because who knows if he’ll also take such risks with the policies concerning his country and his people.

Slide 7 of The Pardoner's Tale

Oh, and then there’s swearing, another evil that old books talk a lot about. Strong language is abominable, and swearing for no good reason is even worse. God on high forbade swearing altogether you know. It says so in Matthew and Jeremiah. Jeremiah says, “Swear only to make a promise—not when you’re lying—and then only in righteousness.” Casual swearing for no real purpose is a sin. I mean, it’s so bad that it’s even one of the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt not use the Lord’s name in vain.”

Slide 8 of The Pardoner's Tale

God thinks cursing is so bad that this commandment even comes before those against murder and other heinous crimes. God will have his revenge on anyone who swears too much, that’s for sure! Saying things such as, “By God’s own heart!” and “The blood of Christ!” or “Seven’s my lucky number and yours is three and five!” and “By God, if you cheat me, I’ll kill you with this dagger!” will all get you into trouble. And it all stems from gambling. So for the love of Christ who died for our sins, don’t curse, even if it’s just a small swear. Okay, okay . . . now I’ll tell you my story.

Multiple Choice

We expected only to hear about sinful greed in his sermon. Why has the Pardoner interrupted his story to include examples of other sins for his audience of pilgrims?

• He is currently with all the other pilgrims, some of whom drink beer, gamble, and curse. The Pardoner sees an opportunity to make money from those committing these sins.

• The Pardoner is very offended by any sin and wants to give the pilgrims a chance to get forgiveness for their sins, no matter if they have to do with greed or another deadly sin.

Slide 9 of The Pardoner's Tale

Well one morning before the church bells had even rung for morning mass, the three rogues I was telling you about a minute ago were drinking in a bar. While they were sitting there, they saw a man ringing a bell as he led a cart with a dead body on it through the streets on the way to the graveyard. When the rogues saw this, one of them called the waiter over and said, “Go out right now and find out whose body that is.”

Slide 10 of The Pardoner's Tale

“Mister, I don’t need to go out there and ask,” the boy replied. “Someone told me about a couple hours before you came in here that it’s an old friend of yours who was slain as he was sitting drunk in a chair last night. The shadowy thief that people call Death, who kills everyone in this land, drove his scythe into the man’s heart and sliced it in two before silently moving on again. He has killed a thousand people during this outbreak of the plague. Sir, I should warn you, though, in case you ever meet him that you should be careful around him and always be prepared to meet him unexpectedly. That’s what my mother always told me, anyway.

Multiple Choice

CHOOSE THE LITERARY DEVICE: Everyone keeps referring to death as "Death" with a capital letter and making statements such as, "The shadowy thief that people call Death, who kills everyone in this land, drove his scythe into the man’s heart and sliced it in two before silently moving on again." This suggests that death is a person with human-like abilities. Chaucer is using what literary device?

• metaphor

• allegory

• personification

• Onomatopoeia

Slide 11 of The Pardoner's Tale

“By St. Mary,” interrupted the bartender, “the kid is right. This year alone, Death has killed men, women, children, laborers, and wealthier folk alike in a large village just about a mile from here. I reckon Death probably lives there, and we’d be wise to be on guard in case we happen to meet him.”

“By God’s arms!” said one of the rogues. “Is he really that deadly? Then I swear to God that I’ll search all the streets and hunt him down! My friends, are you thinking what I’m thinking? Let’s all grab hands and take an oath so that the three of us become brothers. We’ll vow to kill this villain Death who has killed so many people. We’ll find him and cut him down before nightfall!”

Slide 12 of The Pardoner's Tale

Together the three delinquents swore to live and die for the others just as if they’d been blood brothers from birth. Then they stood up, furious and very drunk, and set out for that village the bartender had told them about. On their way, they swore like sailors to kill Death, and they tore through the village with their foul language.

Multiple Choice

The rioters go looking for Death because they –

• Want to repent or ask forgiveness for their sins and find salvation

• Plan to avenge the deaths of their friends

• Know he has great treasure

Poll

When thinking about what might happen next in the story, which of these predictions do you agree with? You can check all that you agree with.

• Death will find the 3 bad boys

• Somehow the 3 bad boys will find Death

• They will find their friend alive and well

• They will realize what "bad boys" they have been and beg God's forgiveness

• Somehow the story will end up being about greed

Slide with no number!

WE ARE STOPPING THERE FOR THE DAY. WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE STORY IN OUR NEXT CLASS. ANY QUESTIONS?

Slide 13 of The Pardoner's Tale

When they’d gone only about half a mile, though, they came upon a poor old man, just as they were about to hop over a fence. The old man greeted them politely and said, “Gentlemen, may God bless you and keep you well!”

“What the hell do you want, old man?” the most arrogant of the ruffians asked. “Why are you all wrapped up except for your face? And how have you lived to be so frickin’ old? Shouldn’t you be dead by now?”

Slide 14 of The Pardoner's Tale

The old man just looked him in the eyes awhile before finally saying, “Even if I walked all the way to India, I’d never find anyone who’d want to trade me their youth for my age, so I have no choice but to be as old as I am until God changes His mind.

Slide 15 of The Pardoner's Tale

“Unfortunately, Death doesn’t want me either, which is why I’m as old and disgusting as I am. All I can do is wander around like a restless soul, knocking my walking stick on the ground morning and night hoping Mother Earth will take me back. ‘Mother Earth, let me in!’ I say. ‘Just look at how wretched I am. My flesh and blood and skin are all drying up. When will my tired bones be laid to rest? Mother, I wish I could trade that beautiful chest in my bedroom for a burial shroud to put myself in!’ But so far, she hasn’t helped me at all, which is why I’m so pale and rickety.

Slide 16 of The Pardoner's Tale

“Still, it isn’t very nice of you to speak to an old man the way you did, unless he’s done something really bad to you. Remember that it says ‘Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head! ’. In other words, respect your elders. Don’t do or say things to an old man that you wouldn’t want done or said to you. And may God go with you, wherever you go. As for me, I should continue on now.”

Slide 17 of The Pardoner's Tale

“Not so fast, gramps,” one of the other hooligans said. “You’re not going anywhere, old man. We’re not going to let you get away that easily! You seem to know a lot about this bastard Death who’s been killing our friends around here. I’m thinking that you’re in cahoots with him, that you’re his spy, and that you’re trying to kill all the young people! By God and the Bible, you better tell me where Death is or you’ll regret it!

“Well, gentlemen,” the old man replied, “if you really want to find Death, then all you have to do is walk up this crooked path because I just left him over there in that grove of trees. See that oak tree? He’s right under that one. He isn’t going anywhere, and he’s certainly not going to run away from you. May God who saved mankind save you!”

Fill in the Blank

The rioters are very _____ to the old man.

Multiple Choice

What is ironic about the attitude the old man has toward Death?

• Most people seek to avoid death, but he seeks death.

• He has seen death more than once.

Multiple Choice

Where does the old man send the rioters?

• He sent them to the Holy Land.

• He sent them to a hidden cave in the forest.

• He sent them up the road to an oak tree.

Slide 18 of The Pardoner's Tale

The three scoundrels ran off in that direction until they came to the oak tree. Instead of finding Death, though, they discovered about eight bushels of gold florins. They were so awestruck by the shiny gold coins that they completely forgot about hunting and killing Death. They sat down next to the bags of gold for a while, until the worst of the three finally said:

Multiple Choice

What did they find when they got to where the old man sent them?

• They found a bag full of jewels.

• They found eight bushels of gold coins.

• They found three beautiful women waiting for them.

Slide 19 of The Pardoner's Tale

“My brothers, listen up. I’ve got an idea. I may goof off a lot, but I’m pretty sharp. Fortune has given us this treasure so that we can always live our lives in comfort and revelry. I’m sure we can find ways to spend all this! Who in God’s name would have thought that today would be so lucky for us? I say this gold is ours because we found it. And if we could carry all this money to my house—or one of your houses—we’d never have to worry about money again. We can’t move this money in broad daylight, though, because people would accuse us of stealing it and hang us for moving our own money.

Slide 20 of The Pardoner's Tale

No, we’ll have to transport it at night and do it as carefully as possible so that no one will see. Now, two of us should stay here and guard the money, while the third goes to town and gets some bread and wine for us to eat until we can safely move the gold tonight. I think we should draw straws to see who should be the one to run to town and get the food.

Multiple Choice

8. Why did the rioters decide to bring the treasure home at night?

• They were afraid people would accuse them of having stolen it so they agreed to wait until night to take it home.

• They didn't want any highwaymen (robbers) to steal it from them.

• It was so heavy to carry that it got them overheated in the bright sun. It was easier to carry it at night.

Slide 21 of The Pardoner's Tale

He then put three straws in his fist and had each of the other two take one to see who’d be the runner. The youngest of the three picked the shortest straw, so he set off immediately for the town below. As soon as he was gone, one of the remaining two rogues turned to the other one and said, “You know, we swore an oath to be brothers, which is why I want to tell you something that I think will interest you. We have all this money here to divide among the three of us. But wouldn’t it be great if we could figure out some way so that we’d only have to divide it between the two of us? Wouldn’t you like that?”

Fill in the Blank

The youngest rioter draws the short straw and is sent to town to get ________.

Slide 22 of The Pardoner's Tale

“Yeah, that’d be great,” the other one answered. “But I don’t know how you’re planning on doing that, considering our younger friend knows about the gold. What would we say to him? What are you thinking?”

“I have a plan that I think will work,” the first rogue replied. “Can you keep a secret?”

“I swear I won’t tell anyone anything,” said the other guy. “I give you my word that I won’t betray you.”

Slide 23 of The Pardoner's Tale

“Well,” the first one began, “there are two of us and only one of him, which means that we can take him. When he comes back, wait for him to sit down, and then jump up and grab him as if you wanted to horse around. Then, while the two of you are wrestling, I’ll sneak up behind him and stab him with my dagger. Then you can pull out your dagger and do the same. Then we’ll have all this money to ourselves and will only have to divide it two ways instead of three. That’ll give each of us more money to play around and gamble with and do whatever we want.” The other ruffian liked this idea, so the two of them agreed to this plan to kill their friend.

Multiple Choice

What plan did the two rioters who remained with the treasure make while the youngest went into town?

• They plan to kill him so they can take his share of the treasure

• They realize what horrible sinners they are, give the treasure to the local priest, and confess their sins to the priest.

• They try to find the old man to give him a portion of the treasure because he was the one who sent them to the tree.

  B.

Slide 24 of The Pardoner's Tale

The youngest of the three, meanwhile, couldn’t stop thinking about those bright new gold florins as he headed into town. “Lord!” he exclaimed to himself. “If only there were some way I could have all that money to myself. There wouldn’t be any man alive who’d live as happily as me.” He thought about it and thought about it until finally the devil himself, enemy of all mankind, put it in his thoughts that he should poison his two friends so that he could have all the money to himself. He headed straight for the town drugstore, where he asked the clerk if he could buy some poison to kill the rats in his house and the skunk that had been eating his chickens at night.

Slide 25 of The Pardoner's Tale

“Sure, I can sell you some strong poison,” the clerk said. “This stuff is so strong that no living creature in the world will be able to survive if it eats or drinks this. It’s fast-acting too, and will take effect in less time than it’d take you to walk a mile.

The young rogue bought the poison and then went to see a guy on the next street over to borrow three large empty bottles. He put poison in two of them, but he kept the third bottle clean for his own drink, which he knew he’d need later that night because he planned to move all the gold by himself. And after he’d filled the big bottles with wine, he headed back to where his two friends were waiting for him at the oak tree.

Multiple Choice

What plan did the youngest rioter who went to town make about killing the two others when he returned?

• He was going to let the horse trample them.

• He was going to poison them.

• He was going to stab them while they slept.

Slide 26 of The Pardoner's Tale

Well, there really isn’t a whole lot more to say. The two older friends killed the youngest right after he’d returned with the food and wine, just as they’d planned. And when they’d finished, the first rogue said, “Now let’s sit and relax for a bit before burying the body.” As luck would have it, he grabbed and drank from one of the bottles with poison in it and gave the other poisoned bottle to his friend. And in no time at all, they were both dead.

Poll

What type of irony is taking place here?

• Verbal Irony (irony that has to do with something unexpected a character said)

• Situational Irony (irony involving a situation in which the opposite outcome than what was expected occurs).

Slide 27 of The Pardoner's Tale

These two scoundrels suffered horribly as they died. I doubt even Avicenna himself, the great Arab writer on medical herbs and poisons, had ever encountered such awful effects. Anyway, that’s how these two hooligans died shortly after they’d killed their own poisoner.

You see what gluttony, lechery, and gambling gets you! Evil! Sin! Wickedness! Murder! All you arrogant, addicted villains with your swearing on Christ’s body! How is it that you can treat your creator so horribly when he has saved you with his own precious blood?

Multiple Choice

After the rioters abandon their search for Death, they find him anyway when they murder one another because of their greed. This act is an example of –

• Poetic irony

• Dramatic irony

• Situational irony

Multiple Choice

How does the story fit the Pardoner’s theme that he stated at the start of his tale--”Greed is the root of all evil”?

• Death tells the rioters that they will be punished for their greed

• The rioters are robbed of the treasure at night while taking it home by others who are just as greedy as them.

• The rioters are greedy enough to commit murder so they can keep the treasure for themselves

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements best describes the end of the Pardoner’s Tale?

• The rioters become rich

• The rioters meet death

• Death takes a holiday

Slide 28 of The Pardoner's Tale

Now, ladies and gentlemen, may God forgive you for your sins and keep you safe from the sin of greed. A holy pardon from me can save you—for a modest fee of a few silver coins. I also accept jewelry, silverware, and rings, mind you. I mean, this is a great opportunity here for you! This is in your own interest. I’m not trying to trick you here. Come on, ladies, trade in some of your extra clothing for a pardon. I’ll write your name down in my official notebook so that you’ll have no trouble going straight to heaven when you die. I will absolve you—those of you who make an offering, that is—of any past wrongdoing to make you as clean and holy as the day you were born. That’s what I do, and may Jesus Christ, caretaker of our souls, receive my pardon.

Slide 29 of The Pardoner's Tale

Oh! But I forgot to add one thing. I have right here in my bag some holy relics that are as good as any other relics in England. The pope himself gave them to me, actually. If any of you feels compelled by your faith to make an offering and see the relics, well then you can come right over here, kneel down, and humbly receive absolution from me. Or you’re more than welcome to offer up your shiny new coins to receive a pardon every so often along the way so that you’ll know you’ll be free of sin and guilt by the time we reach Canterbury.

Slide 29 3/4 of The Pardoner's Tale

You should all be glad that you have me, an excellent pardoner, riding with you in case you need to be forgiven. I mean, maybe you’ll fall off your horse and break your neck or something and need to be pardoned before you die. Aren’t you just lucky that I’m here so that your soul won’t have any problem finding its way to heaven? I think that our Host here should be pardoned first because he runs a tavern, which is a veritable breeding ground for sin. Come here, sir Host, and be the first to make an offering. I’ll even let you kiss all of my relics. That’s right, it’ll only cost you one silver coin. Take out your wallet, step up, and make an offering.

Slide 30 of The Pardoner's Tale

“Oh no,” said the Host. “Christ send me to hell first! I’ll never give you anything as long as I live. You’d call your own pants a relic and make me kiss them even though they’re soiled with crap! By the true cross that St. Helena found, I wish I could have your balls in my hands instead of your so-called relics so that I could cut them off and have them smashed into pig turd!”

The Pardoner didn’t say anything. He just stared at the Host because he was too angry to speak.

Multiple Choice

After telling his tale, what does the Pardoner offer to do for his fellow pilgrims?

• Pray for their souls

• Sell them relics and pardons

• Buy them a round of drinks

Slide 31 of The Pardoner's Tale

“Okay,” said the Host. “No more fooling around, with you or anyone else.” By this point, though, everyone was already laughing hysterically, which prompted the Knight to say, “All right, all right, that’s enough. Mr. Host, I like you a lot, so please just shake hands with the Pardoner and make up. And Mr. Pardoner, calm down and go over to our Host. Let’s put this behind us so that we can laugh and relax like we were doing earlier.” And with that, the Pardoner and the Host shook hands and put the matter behind them, and we all continued on our way to Canterbury.

Multiple Choice

The Pardoner’s pious and devoutly religious story along with his sales pitch for his relics and pardons after the tale reveals his –

• immorality and greed

• honesty and kindness

• sensitivity and ignorance