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Pardoner: Mystery and Allegory

Pardoner: Mystery and Allegory. Tuesday, 11 December 2012. Mediaeval representations of Bible plays Toured the country and served to educate the illiterate masses Performed in the Vernacular, not Church Latin Simple representations of Bible stories or moral tales Allegorical characters.

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Pardoner: Mystery and Allegory

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  1. Pardoner: Mystery and Allegory Tuesday, 11 December 2012 jonathan Peel SGS 2012

  2. Mediaeval representations of Bible plays • Toured the country and served to educate the illiterate masses • Performed in the Vernacular, not Church Latin • Simple representations of Bible stories or moral tales • Allegorical characters Medieval Mysteries jonathan Peel SGS 2012

  3. Using characters to represent abstract concepts • In these plays usually represent SINS • One character will represent a GOOD MAN • The play will show the battle for his soul • Good will win in the end. Allegory jonathan Peel SGS 2012

  4. Sermon as mystery? • Characters seem allegorical • Old MAN as Death? NOTE THAT HE IS GOOD… • What SINS are presented? • Who is the allegory? Chaucer’s Pardoner or his characters? Pardoner jonathan Peel SGS 2012

  5. Pardoner • Vocal delivery • Skill at tricking poor • Sexual prowess • Ability to earn money • Ability to turn people from sin ( not his true intention) PRIDE jonathan Peel SGS 2012

  6. Pardoner • “I prece of nothyng but for coveityse” • “Radix malorum est cupiditas” • Deceives people simply to earn money • Riotoures • Forget quest to focus on money • Kill to get more money AVARICE jonathan Peel SGS 2012

  7. Pardoner • Openly drinks in quantity • States that his wealth will buy him the “liccour of the vyne” and a luxurious life • Riotoures • Death caused by drinking – wine bottles full of poison • Drunk at start of tale Gluttony jonathan Peel SGS 2012

  8. Pardoner • At end of tale he is abused by the Host and “answerde not a word;/So wrooth he was”. • Riotoures • Anger at Death starts the whole story. Wrath jonathan Peel SGS 2012

  9. Pardoner • Lust for money drives him on (Avarice) • Lust for women is also evident in his tales of sexual prowess • Riotoures • Lust for money drives them to death • Women • In the sermon women are associated with Lust when they work with the “Develesofficeres … to kyndle and blow the fyr of lecherye” (190ff) Lust jonathan Peel SGS 2012

  10. A lazy man, the Pardoner refuses to work with his hands, but prefers to make his living through talk and cheating. He is hugely successful. Sloth jonathan Peel SGS 2012

  11. Envy is a bit hard to justify… (no reason not to try though) • A double allegory then… • The Pardoner embodies the sins and is a message to the reader, just as his story is a message to the “audience” due to the allegorical nature of the Riotoures. 6 Deadly Sins jonathan Peel SGS 2012

  12. The old man? • The Pot Boy? • Chaucer? • The reader? • The Knight? • You must decide where these characters stand and how they are used! Goodness? jonathan Peel SGS 2012

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