Summary
This tale begins with three friends having a couple of drinks at the tavern one morning when they heard the hand-bell clink warning of a coffin going into a grave. One of the friends asks the tavern-knave to go outside and see who it is who died. As it turns out the tavern-knave was told of the death earlier that morning and continues to tell the one rioter that it was one of old friends that has died. He goes on to warn the three rioters that a lot of young men have died in this area; as if death as only gone after that particular group of people. Upon hearing this, the three rioters flew into a rage and claimed that they would go on quest to kill death. So that morning they set off on their quest, and not soon after they met a very old man. This man was both kind and wise, yet the rioters treated him with little respect. Eventually, through their conversation, one of the rioters accused the old man of being in league with death. The old man denies this and tells them that he had just seen death, who is just further down the road. So the three friends arrive to the place where the old man said death would be, but death could not be found. Instead in death's stead there was a large pile of gold coins. Now the three friends were overjoyed at finding this treasure, and soon devised a plan to bring it back to their houses and split it. They thought it was best to do this under the cover of night so the youngest rioter was sent back to get supplies for the night. While the youngest rioter was away the other two devised a plan to get rid of him and keep the money for themselves, but the other rioter was also plotting to get the gold all for himself. While back in the village he purchased poison and poisoned the wine that he was bringing back for the others. Once he returns, he is killed by the other two rioters, but in celebration the other two drank the poisoned wine. So at the end of the tale everyone is dead.
Upon finishing his tale, the Pardoner demands that the Host kisses his ring and then pay a tribute to the church. The Host refuses to do so, and angers the Pardoner greatly. Yet in the end the Host ends up kissing the ring but not paying anything.
Character/Chaucer's Insights The Pardoner is as corrupt as described in the Prologue but he is surprisingly frank about his hypocrisy. He admits to fraud, gluttony, and greed yet preaches against these very vices. He condemns swearing, drunkenness, and gambling in his tale but he has either displayed or professed proudly. He attempts to justify his lack of morals through his abilities as a preacher. Ironically, the pardoner almost speaks about his sins with pride but his tale condemns the very sins that he commits. He says "Radiz malorum est Cupiditas," or “greed is the root of all evil" yet takes bribes for salvation. One of the most interesting hypocrisies of the Pardoner is he claims in his Prologue that his relics are fake and then at the end of the story he behaves as if they are real and asks the pilgrims for contributions. Chaucer uses the Pardoner to represent the widespread corruption within the church during the time period.
This tale begins with three friends having a couple of drinks at the tavern one morning when they heard the hand-bell clink warning of a coffin going into a grave. One of the friends asks the tavern-knave to go outside and see who it is who died. As it turns out the tavern-knave was told of the death earlier that morning and continues to tell the one rioter that it was one of old friends that has died. He goes on to warn the three rioters that a lot of young men have died in this area; as if death as only gone after that particular group of people. Upon hearing this, the three rioters flew into a rage and claimed that they would go on quest to kill death. So that morning they set off on their quest, and not soon after they met a very old man. This man was both kind and wise, yet the rioters treated him with little respect. Eventually, through their conversation, one of the rioters accused the old man of being in league with death. The old man denies this and tells them that he had just seen death, who is just further down the road. So the three friends arrive to the place where the old man said death would be, but death could not be found. Instead in death's stead there was a large pile of gold coins. Now the three friends were overjoyed at finding this treasure, and soon devised a plan to bring it back to their houses and split it. They thought it was best to do this under the cover of night so the youngest rioter was sent back to get supplies for the night. While the youngest rioter was away the other two devised a plan to get rid of him and keep the money for themselves, but the other rioter was also plotting to get the gold all for himself. While back in the village he purchased poison and poisoned the wine that he was bringing back for the others. Once he returns, he is killed by the other two rioters, but in celebration the other two drank the poisoned wine. So at the end of the tale everyone is dead.
Upon finishing his tale, the Pardoner demands that the Host kisses his ring and then pay a tribute to the church. The Host refuses to do so, and angers the Pardoner greatly. Yet in the end the Host ends up kissing the ring but not paying anything.
Character/Chaucer's Insights
The Pardoner is as corrupt as described in the Prologue but he is surprisingly frank about his hypocrisy. He admits to fraud, gluttony, and greed yet preaches against these very vices. He condemns swearing, drunkenness, and gambling in his tale but he has either displayed or professed proudly. He attempts to justify his lack of morals through his abilities as a preacher. Ironically, the pardoner almost speaks about his sins with pride but his tale condemns the very sins that he commits. He says "Radiz malorum est Cupiditas," or “greed is the root of all evil" yet takes bribes for salvation. One of the most interesting hypocrisies of the Pardoner is he claims in his Prologue that his relics are fake and then at the end of the story he behaves as if they are real and asks the pilgrims for contributions. Chaucer uses the Pardoner to represent the widespread corruption within the church during the time period.