Answer TWO of the following...
Q1: Why do you
think the tale begins with such a lengthy Prologue? Why doesn’t he simply get
on with his Tale (especially since the Prologue somewhat undercuts the Tale’s
effectiveness)? Is he simply talkative
like the Knight, or is there another reason behind this?
Q2: The
Pardoner says the theme of all his sermons is “money is the root of all evil.”
Why does he specialize in this theme, and what does his theme suggest about the
profession of ‘pardoning’ in general?
Q3: The
Pardoner’s Tale is a classic medieval allegory: three ‘brothers’ arming
themselves to find and murder Death. Why don’t they recognize him when they
find him? What makes it so easy for Death to win, according to the Pardoner (or
Chaucer)?
Q1. His prologue is so lengthy because, as we see in the end, his moral of the story is to receive his payment for a pardon. All these men on this voyage have been gambling, drinking, and swearing and he takes that chance to hit them where it hurt. In short: "This could be you! You can die from your sins and if you don't get pardoned (or pay me to pardon you) you will go to hell!"
ReplyDeleteQ2. I think his theme of money being the root of all evil is a direct correlation to how greedy the pardoner just happens to be. He wants people to be able to let go of all their possessions, gold, and jewelry so that he can receive it. It's ironic, but in the way that you'd expect it to be. Kind of funny how that can be matched up with modern day assumptions and stereotypes of a wealthy pastor.I base these claims of the pardoner partially off his description in the beginning of the book as well (not that his way of wrapping up of the story wouldn't have given us enough of an impression).
Yes, the Prologue is his sales pitch, his way of striking the fear of God in the resident "yokels," but this time he says too much. He tells them his product is worthless, and then tells the story and expects it to work. Whoops!
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ReplyDeleteMy thoughts on question #1 -
ReplyDeleteI think he is talky to get people to not pay so close attention but yet buy in to what he is saying. He speaks so much that people tune out and then when he asks if they agree or ask for fogivness for they way they live many accept so he will shut up and they can go back to living their life regardless of what they agreed/said they would do.
In regards to question #2
Money can buy you anything. It has been that way since the beginning of time to this current moment. If you are wealthy, you can have a home, a vehicle, the best of clothing and foods and even love. They only thing money cannot buy is your ticket to the afterlife. If you spend your riches on material things or drinking till drunk and eating until gluttony - you cannot get there. Give thy money up that you would spend on these sins and you still have a chance.
Rook Rawls
Great responses--I wonder if he usually does this, or his drunkenness is making him too talkative for his own good. I think he's also showing off, since he knows he's among good company, better than the "yokels" he usually performs for. But clearly he underestimated them, too, since the "worst" of them, the Host, catches every word of it.
DeleteQ2:It is fitting that the theme is "money is the root of all evil" because the Pardoner deals in money. Money is his one true gain by swindling travelers and townsfolk alike. He plays his tricks on everyone to try to come out ahead. His own profession turned evil. Instead of granting pardons at their general granting, he is profiting from them and living the life of luxury, by swindling with the immortal souls. Following his own example, pardoning seems to be a lucrative business, when it was created to be so different. The gift of the church to pardon an individual's sins was to be just that, a gift not to line one's purse strings.
ReplyDeleteQ3:They think he is a spy for Death, and not worth their time. They believe he is jealous of their youth, and want to know just how to find Death so they may dispose of him. It was easy for Death to walk away unscathed, for his little carrot he dangled before them. The gold distracted the trio's adventure, giving way to greed, the root of all evil. Death's disguise as a simple old man makes the boy's believe he is too feeble to be death. He wants to see young men suffer.
Great responses--for him, it's simply an easy profession and an easy life. As he says, begging and starving is not for the likes of him. He means to live well, eat well, and have a wench in every town!
DeleteQ3. The reason they don't recognize death is likely because 1. They were probably drunk beforehand and 2. An old man and gold don't exactly strike fear in the hearts of the dying. It was a bit of a metaphor. They died for many reasons. Stupidity, greed, and clearly wasted youth among them. Only someone incredibly drunk and/or stupid would think you could "kill" Death. Like he's actually Tim the assassin with mad skills, or something.
ReplyDeleteQ3. The sales pitch, while humorous, also indicates that his audience is usually stupid. That or his speeches are so ridiculous that people nod off and wake up to cries of eternal hell fire and doooooommmm. Unless you buy a pardon. Because God is more concerned about the amount in your wallet rather than actual regret or whatever. Clearly, someone else (Chaucer) thought along the same lines as well.
Kenia Starry
Great responses...and while his audience isn't sophisticated (he calls them "yokels"), this is largely because they are uneducated (which was inevitable at this time) and they're terrified of going against the Church. If the Pope says the Pardoner has the authority to dispense pardons, it's hard to go, "no, he's a fraud." And he takes advantage of this fact. That's what makes him such an interesting and dangerous figure--and why Chaucer pokes such fun at him.
DeleteQ2: The Pardoner's choice of theme is ironic; he's probably one of the most gluttonous of the group. The Pardoner says himself "[he] [preaches] for nothing but for greed of gain" (page 243). Clearly, the Pardoner is a corrupt man, but why would he choose a theme that applies to him? Although he preaches against the love of money, that same love is what allows him to live a life of luxury. The Pardoner's Tale echoes the evil of greed and gives great insight into the profession of pardoning. I believe the Pardoner is criticizing (perhaps unknowingly, but perhaps not) himself and his colleagues. If the most noble of men have fallen for the love of money, no common man will be able to resist either.
ReplyDeleteQ3: It was impossible for the brothers to recognize Death because he looked "very poor" (page 251) and harmless. Death won easily, because the brothers' minds immediately became consumed by gold. This ties back into the central theme of money being the root of all evil. Essentially, all Death had to do to eliminate the brothers was awaken greed within their hearts; they did the rest.
Great responses--yes, this is a deeply ironic prologue and tale. Either he's too drunk to realize this, or he's too cynical to care. Interesting that the story is about men who trust too much in appearances, since the Pardoner, too, "looks" right--he has authorization from the Pope, after all--but is a cheat and a fraud. Another "Death" figure himself.
DeleteQ.1) I believe the prologue is so long because the pardoner has a hidden agenda. He is preaching to the group to remind them of the sins they have committed. He wants them to feel guilty so that therefore, he will make more money.
ReplyDeleteQ.3) I don't think the brothers recognize death when they find it because they don't associate death and money. They see money as being a good thing. Unlike death, which they see as bad. It's so easy for death to win because like the pardoner says, "Money is the root of all evil." People are greedy. I think we are all guilty of being a little greedy at some point in our lives. We are human. Now, I'm not saying we would all go as far as killing your brother, but that just depends on what kind of morals you have I guess. These brothers turned against one another so that they could be richer. Money is what helped them commit this evil act. Greed is a terrible thing.
-Rebecca Ardery-
Good responses, particularly on #2. On #1, what IS his hidden agenda? And isn't it dangerous to tell a group of pilgrims that you don't believe in the people you're trying to save?
ReplyDelete