NowComment Pardoner's Tale
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Geoffrey Chaucer - The Canterbury Tales: The Pardoner’s Tale
from The Pardoner’s Tale
Geoffrey Chaucer
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Here begins the Pardoner’s Tale.
Directions: Please do the first three activities below. Please also answer the 3 questions in the text as you are reading.
(Please keep your responses to 2 or 3 sentences. These questions are not essay prompts. I am teaching you to do close reading. Close reading is a technique where you learn to highlight and take notes as you are reading. You can later refer to these notes when you respond to the essay prompt.)
- Highlight 3 sentences that show situational irony. Explain why (3 points)
- Highlight 2 sentences that show verbal irony. Explain why. (2 Points)
- Highlight 1 sentence that show dramatic irony. Explain why. (1 Point)
Now for the love of Christ Who died for us, forsake your oaths, great and small. But, sirs, I will now tell my tale. These three rioters of whom I speak, long before any bell had rung for prime[1], were sitting in a tavern to drink. And as they sat, they heard a bell tinkle that was carried before a corpse to his grave. One of them called to his servant, “Go quickly,” he said, “and ask without delay what corpse passed by here, and see that you report his name correctly.” 669
This would have to be situational irony, because it says for the LOVE of Christ Who died for us, then tells us to forsake any oath. I would not forsake any oath, especially for the LOVE of Christ.
“Sir,” said the boy, “there is no need. It was told to me two hours before you came here; he was an old friend of yours, by God, and he was slain suddenly in the night, as he sat very drunk on his bench. A stealthy thief that men call Death, who slays all the people in this country-side, came with his spear and struck his heart in two, and went his way without a word. He has slain a thousand in this pestilence; and master, before you come before him, it seems to me that you would be best if you were wary of such an adversary. Be ready to meet him at all times; my mother taught me this. I can say no more. 684
“The child speaks the truth, by Blessed Mary,” said the tavern-keeper, “for over a mile from here, in a large village, he has slain both man and woman, child, servant, and page. I believe his habitation to be there. It would be a bit of great wisdom to be forewarned before he does him great dishonor.” 691
“Yes, by God’s arms!” said this reveler, “Is it really such peril to meet with him? I vow to God’s bones I will seek to meet him in the highways and the byways. Listen, friends, we three are all one in this; let each of us hold up his hand and become the others’ brother, and slay this false traitor Death. He shall be slain before night that slays so many, by God’s dignity!” 701
I missed that one, but that’s right!
This sentence is situational irony. Three drunk men unexpectedly make an oath to find and catch “death”.
I believe this is verbal irony. After all, you cannot kill Death. Death is inevitable. I could be wrong, because in this situation, they think that they can, but that could make it dramatic irony!
These three pledged their word together, each to live and die for the rest as if he were their sworn brother, and up they all started in this drunken fury, and forth they went toward that village of which the tavern-keeper had spoken; and they swore many grisly oaths, and Christ’s blessed body they rent to pieces--Death shall be dead if they can catch him! 710
This sentence is an example of verbal irony. The final part mentions the three men exclaiming that death will die. What they don’t know is that death is already dead.
This is dramatic irony. Apparently they do not realize that they cannot kill Death. Death is already … DEAD!
When they had gone only a little way, just as they were climbing over a fence, an old and poor man met them, and greeted them meekly, and said, “Now, gentle people, God be with you!” 715
I thought it was strange that a man “blessed” the drunks. I just didn’t figure out what he meant!
The proudest of these three revelers answered, “What, churl, bad luck to you! Why are you completely wrapped up except your face? Why live you so long to such a great age?” 719
This old man began to peer into his face, and said, “Because I cannot find a man, even if I should walk from here to India, in city or in village, who will exchange his youth for my age. And therefore I must keep my old age as long as it is God’s will. Alas, death will not take me! Thus I walk, a restless wretch, and thus day and night I knock with my staff upon the ground, which is my mother’s gate, and say, “Dear mother, let me in. Lo, how I vanish away, flesh and skin and blood! Alas, when shall my bones be at peace? Mother, I would exchange my chest with you[2], which has been long time in my chamber, yes, for a hair-cloth shroud to wrap myself in!” But still she will not do me that favor; wherefore my face is pale and withered. 738
I also believe he represents death. He seems to want death, according to what he says, but death itself doesn’t accept him. He is also covered all around except his face, which is very suspicious.
I think that this would be an example of situational irony, because death wouldn’t take him or in other words, he couldn’t die. Which probably means that he is death as well.
I think this is situational irony. First, Although these younger people, including younger men, women, and children have all died, he does not. Secondly, he wants to die, but cannot. Again, that sounds like situational irony.
Just the fact that he is asking to die and cannot, and now is saying that he cannot enter his mother’s home (which would be death).
This could be verbal irony, because he asks his dead mother to let him in, which she can neither hear him nor let him do. (I think verbal, because he is speaking those words to his mother.)
But sirs, it is not a courteous thing to speak rudely to an old man, unless he should trespass in act or word. You may read yourselves in Holy Scripture, “Before an old hoary head man you shall arise[3].” For this reason I counsel you, do no harm now to an old man, no more than you would like it to be done to you in your old age, if you remain so long. And now God be with you, wherever you may walk or ride; I must go where I have to go. 749
Who, or what, do you think the old man represents?
This sound crazy, and I hope I am not the only one who has thought about it this way, but perhaps he represents goodness! I know that this is a little confusing. He seems to know a lot about death, but then again, he admitted this. If we were to believe him, then he is actually a good person, who simply is painfully waiting for death to come. If this is true, then he would represent the only goodness here. After all, why are the three drunk people seeking Death? They want to kill him! That is murder, which is bad. This man simply wants to be dead, so he can be with his mother. He admittedly did not “trespass in act or word.”
“Nay, old churl, not so fast, by God,” said this second gambler without delay. “By St. John, you shall not depart so easily! You spoke just now of that traitor Death who slays all our friends in this country-side. By my word, you are his spy! Tell where he is, or, by God and the Holy Sacrament, you shall pay for it. Truly you are in conspiracy with him to slay us young people, false thief.” 759
“Now sirs,” he said, “if you are so glad to find Death, turn up this crooked path; for by my faith I left him in that grove under a tree, and there he will wait, and for all your boasting will he hide. Do you see that oak? There you shall find him. May God, Who redeemed mankind, save you and amend you!” Thus spoke this old creature. 767
I think that this sense shows that the old man is more than he looks because he directly points them to the path that death should have been on. Only someone with an alternate motive would have done that.
I think the old man represents death. In the story he points out the tree where they all die saying that they will find death there. While they don’t find death the man they were looking for that is where they all died.
Question: Who, or what, do you think the old man represents? Highlight a sentence that you think supports your point and make a comment. (1 Points)
And each of these revelers ran until he came to that tree, and there they found nearly eight bushels, as it seemed to them, of florins coined of fine round gold. They no longer sought then after Death, but each was so glad at the sight, for the florins were so beautiful and bright, that they sat themselves down by this precious hoard. 775
This is situational irony as the three revelers where looking for death to avenge their friend. Yet when they find the gold they forget all about it and start thinking about how they can keep it.
The men gave up looking for Death, and instead chose to succomb to greed. At this point, they do not see the connection.
This sentence is situational irony. Instead of finding death under the tree, the men find gold.
That they would even sit down and look at the gold, when they knew that death was nearby is irony. They knew that death sneaks up on people, and here they become so infatuated with the gold that they forget that.
The worst of them spoke the first word. “Brethren,” he said, “heed what I say; though I jest often and make sport, I have a good mind. Now Fortune has given us this treasure so that we may live the rest of our lives in mirth and jollity, and as easily as it comes, so too we will spend it. Ah! God’s precious dignity! Who would have thought today that we should have so wonderful a grace! Could this gold be but carried from here to my house or else to yours--for you know well all this gold is ours--then would we be in great joy. But truly it may not be done during the day. People would call us harsh thieves and hang us for our own treasure. It must be carried by night, as wisely and slyly as can be. Therefore I advise that we draw straws among us all, and he that draws the shortest shall run with a happy heart to the town and do so quickly, and secretly bring us wine and bread. And two of us shall secretly guard this treasure, and at night, if he does not delay, we will carry it where we all agree is safest.” 801
One of them brought the straws in his fist and told them to draw, and see where the lot would fall. It fell to the youngest of them and he went forth without delay toward the town. As soon as he was gone, the second said to the third, “You well know you are my sworn brother, and now I will tell you something to your advantage. Here is a great abundance of gold to divide among the three of us; and you know well our friend is gone. Now if I can plan it so that it will be divided among the two of us, will I not have done you a friendly turn?” 815
“I do not know how that can be,” the other answered. “He knows the gold is left with us two. What shall we do? What shall we say to him?” 817
“Shall it be a secret?” said the first villain. “I shall tell you in few words what we shall do to carry it out successfully.” 821
“I agree,” said the other, “not to betray you, by my word.” 823
The second of friends promises not to betray the first. The line before they were also called villains, so now with different intensions, his actions could change.
Verbal irony
He says, “by my word,” but how good could his word be, when he just betrayed the other friend!
“Now,” said the first, “you know well we are two and that two shall be stronger than one. See to it that when he is set down; you will arise and scuffle with him as in sport, and I will pierce him through the two sides, and you will see to it that you do the same with your dagger. And then shall all this gold be shared between you and me, dear friend. Then may we both fulfill all our desires, and play at dice at our own pleasure.” And thus were these two villains agreed to slay the third, as you have heard me say. 836
This is dramatic irony as we the audience know that the two are planning to kill the third when he returns but he doesn’t.
The youngest, going to the town, turns over and over in his heart the beauty of those bright new florins. “O Lord,” he said, “if only I could have all this treasure to myself, no man living under God’s throne should live as merry as I!” And at last the fiend, our enemy, put it into his mind to buy poison with which to slay his two friends; for the fiend found him in such a way of life that he had permission to bring him to ruin, for utterly his full purpose was to slay them both and never to repent. And he went forth without delay into the town to an apothecary, and asked him to sell him some poison so that he might kill his rats; and there was a pole-cat in his yard, he said, which had killed his capons, and he would gladly avenge him upon the pests that ruined him by night. 858
This sentence is an example of dramatic irony. The man who was sent to town wanted to kill the other two men to keep the treasure for himself.
“And you shall have such a thing,” answered the apothecary, “that, so may God save my soul, no creature in all this world who can eat or drink the amount of a grain of wheat of this compound without dying immediately. Yes, he shall die, and will do so in less time than you can walk a mile, this poison is so violent.” 867
This cursed man gripped the box of poison in his hand, and then ran into the next street to a shop and borrowed three large bottles. Into two of them he poured his poison, but the third he kept clean for his own drink, for he planned to labor all night long carrying away the gold. And when this reveler (may the Devil take him!) had filled his three great bottles with wine, he returned again to his friends. 878
What need to describe it more? For just as they had planned his death, even so they slew him, and did so quickly. When this was done, one of the two said, “Now let us sit and drink and make merry, and then we will bury his body.” 884
And with that word he happened to take one of the bottles where the poison was, and he drank and gave his friend a drink also. Therefore, they both died soon. And surely Avicenna[4] never wrote in any canon or any chapter more wondrous signs of poisoning than these two wretches showed before they died. Thus these two murderers met their end, and the false poisoner also. 894
They three men all planned to betray the others for the gold. However because they all betrayed each other they were all killed and no one got the gold.
Question: What “sin” ultimately killed the three men? (1 Point)
They were killed by greed as each one wanted the gold for themselves and planed to betray the others. However it all backfired and ended up killing all of them.
I think just that they let the lust of gold get to them was a major sin that they committed. Because after they gave in to that lust, they tarted planning different ways in order to fulfill that lust.
It was greed! Greed is the most “poisonous” sin of all. It makes people do things that they would not normally do, but might not even regret.
***
“O cursed sin[5], full of cursedness! O treacherous homicide! O wickedness! 896
“O gluttony, lust and gambling! You blasphemer of Christ with insult and great oaths, habitual and proud! Alas mankind, how may it be that you art so false and unkind to your Creator, Who made you and redeemed you with His precious heart’s blood, alas! 903
“Now, good men, God forgive you your trespasses and guard you from the sin of avarice. My holy pardon will cure you all, provided that you offer nobles and other sterling coin, or else silver rings, brooches, spoons. Bow your heads, bow them under this holy bull! Come up, wives, offer of your wool! See, I enter your name here in my roll; you shall enter into heaven’s bliss; I absolve you by my high power, you that will make offerings, as clear and clean as when you were born. Lo, sirs, thus I preach). And may Jesus Christ, our soul’s physician, grant that you may receive His pardon; for that is better than mine, I will not deceive you. 918
Greed, or “avarice”, is what killed them. They each wanted to keep the treasure for themselves.
“But sirs, one word I have forgotten to say. Here in my bag I have relics and indulgences, as fair as any man’s in Britain, which were given to me by the pope’s own hand. If any of you of devotion will make an offering and have my absolution, come forth now and kneel down here and meekly receive my pardon; or else take pardons all new and fresh as you go along, at every town’s end, so that you offer again and again nobles and pence which are good and sound. It is an honor to every creature here to have a competent pardoner to absolve you as you ride through the lonely country, in case of a misadventure which might happen. 934
“By chance one or two may fall down from their horses and break their necks in two. Look what a security it is to you all that I, who can absolve you all, high and low, when the soul shall pass from the body, fell into your company! I advise that our Host here be the first, for he is most enveloped in sin. 942
“Come forth, Sir Host, and offer first, and you shall kiss all the relics, yes, for a groat[6]; without delay unbuckle your purse.” 945
“No, no!” he said, “may I have the curse of Christ if I do so!” he said. “Leave me alone; it shall not be, I swear. You would make me kiss your old breech and swear it is a saint’s relic, no matter how foul it may be!
Chaucer demonstrates in this story that he did not think highly of churches and pardoners. In the story, Chaucer describes the pardoner as a thief and liar.
This Pardoner answered not a word; he was so angry, he would not speak. 955
“Now,” said our Host, “I will not talk with you longer, nor with any other angry man.” 957
But when the worthy Knight saw all the people laughing, he said, “Enough, no more of this. Sir Pardoner, be cheerful, and I pray you, Sir Host, who is so dear to me, kiss the Pardoner. And Pardoner, I pray you draw near again, and let us laugh and make sport as we did before.” 967
And without delay they kissed and rode on. 968
Question: What criticism do you think Chaucer is making of the Pardoner, or the church, by telling this story. (2 Points)
The criticism that Chaucer is making is that the church is hypocritical. The Pardoner denounces the revelers who got too greedy yet he acts more like a salesman trying to sell pardons, offering special chances and even offering the chance to kiss “holy” relics for even more money. Basically Chaucer is criticizing the church for denouncing sins, like greed, yet acting sinful themselves.
But that was also his criticism with the church, that it was corrupt itself. After all, the Pardoners represented the church!
Chaucer is making fun of the Pardoner because he, like the story has an alternative motive. He says that he is doing one thing, but he really is doing something else.
Chaucer is criticizing the church for making people literally pay for their sins to be forgiven, which God never said. He said that if you repent and turn of your ways, He would forgive your sins. He never said that you had to pay for it.
Here is ended the Pardoner’s Tale.
Translated and Edited by Gerard NeCastro
© Copyright, 2007, All Rights Reserved
Citation. Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Pardoner’s Tale. NeCastro, Gerard, ed. and trans. eChaucer: http://www.umm.maine.edu/faculty/necastro/chaucer
1
[2] My chest. I.e., his chest containing valuables.
[3] You shall arise. See Leviticus. 19.32.
[4] Avicenna. Eleventh-century Arab (Persian) physician, who compiled the important treatise on medicine, “The Book of the Canon of Medicine.”
[5] O cursed sin. Though there is no formal break in the manuscripts, the tale is clearly finished and the Pardoner’s address to the other pilgrims begins. Thus the convention of adding quotation marks for the speech of the characters resumes here.
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