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What is a Pardoner? . A person licensed to sell papal pardons or indulgences. They took indulgences, money, from the people which would then act as repayment for their sins or pardons . Pardoners kept a certain percentage of the indulgences. Very few were honest. . The Pardoner.
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What is a Pardoner? • A person licensed to sell papal pardons or indulgences. • They took indulgences, money, from the people which would then act as repayment for their sins or pardons. • Pardoners kept a certain percentage of the indulgences. • Very few were honest.
The Pardoner • Very androgynous in appearance. • Admits to being guilty of avarice and other sins despite his position in the Church. • Most dubious of the pilgrims because of his trade and place in the feudal system. • Well spoken, a necessity for the persuasion he uses in his speeches to the peasants. • Often sells "treasures" and "miracles" to pesants and boasts a 100 gold coins a year.
The Tale: A Basic Overview • Begins in the city of Flanders, filled with greed and drunkenness. • Three men after learning of the death of a friend swear that they will kill the Bandit Death who has murder women, children and men recently in the town over. • Swear to defend each other as they would their blood brother. • Happen across and old man who will not die until he can find someone to trade their youth for his age. • They ask if he has seen death and he directs them to a clearing, in which they find gold.
The Tale: A Basic Overview Continued • They decide to keep the gold but realize they need supplies if they are to guard the gold. • Drawing straws the youngest of the three is sent to town. • While there he decides to purchase posion and disguise it in the wine so he can keep the gold for himself. • At the camp the two older men come to a similar conclusion and stab the young man upon his return. • They reach for the wine and drain the bottles. • Soon all three are dead. • They have indeed met death.
Where is the satire? • The most prominent source of satire is the Pardoner himself. • He is a complex character who often seems to contradict both himself and his duties to the Church. • His method of speaking closely resembles the Wife of Bath in that he is educated and excels in debates. • Ironically he abhors greed and drunkenness yet admits to committing avarice among other sins. • Considered the worst of the pilgrims but the most intriguing as well. • Radix malorum est cupidatis "Love of money is the root of all evil"
Where is the satire? Continued • Chaucer points out the hypocrisy in the Church through the hyperbolized Pardoner • Indulgences were slowly losing favor as more people were able to interpret the Bible for themselves. • His use of Death as a person and the old man often is seen as contrasting reality and fiction to emphasize the corruption in the world and the consequences of it. • Greed is portrayed as the root of all evil and reproaches the upper and lower classes for hoarding good will and money alike
Discussion Points • Lot • Blood versus Gold • Spiritual and Physical Corruption • Greed • Drunkenness and Madness