Essay on Chaucers The Pardoners Corruption Tale - 866 Words

Written in the fourteenth century by Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales bursts its way into the literary world, and quickly made its mark as one of the early English masterpieces. Its poetic verses often disguised the disdain that Chaucer possessed for the hypocritical behaviors that were (and in many ways still are) present with the religious leaders. Throughout this lyrical writing, Chaucer tackles the opulent monk, the corrupt friar, and the flirtatious nun. However, the Pardoner is one of Geoffrey Chaucers more difficult characters to understand. Chaucer did not place much faith in the monastic church that was so prevalent during his time, and it is quite prevalent in the character of the Pardoner; a man that did not practice†¦show more content†¦(Curry) This small detail of the Pardoner desiring cake and ale is a significant clue that, despite his outwardly appearance of caring for the sinful, his first concerns are only for himself. One of the more unsympathetic characters in Chaucers tales is the Pardoner, who boldly opposed in his sermons the sins of corruption, greed, and abuse of power, was everything that he preached against. The Pardoner in The Canterbury Tales, is corrupt, and he revels in his corruption every day. For a price, the Pardoner would travel to a house, town, city or dwelling place to forgive people of their sins. According to Margaret Hallissy in the book The Companion to Chaucers Canterbury Tale, â€Å"Pardon[s] only come to those who repent. By trade the Pardoner is a preacher. His task is to use his rhetorical gifts to persuade his hearers to repent and be saved†. (Hallissy 223) The Pardoner in The Chaucers Tales not only used his gifts to aid his hearers in repenting, but additionally he used his tale nts to lighten the wallets of those that listened to his sermons. The moral of his tales were always the same, greed is the root of all evil. After preaching his message, the Pardoner found the opportunity to beckon to his audience for money. Even the Pardoner in Chaucers tale boasted that he was preaching for a specific purpose, and it had nothing to do with saving souls. TheShow MoreRelatedExamples Of Corruption In Canterbury Tales1035 Words   |  5 PagesDuring the medieval times corruption in the Catholic Church was prevalent. As corruption was prevalent during Chaucer’s time so was a Pardoner’s practice of selling indulgences, becoming one of deception and greed. Similar to the upper class focusing their time on becoming the richest and most powerful. In many of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer would use satire to criticize different social classes. For example, the middle class, those people who worked for their possessions. HeRead MoreW hat Makes the Pardoner Corrupted in Geoffrey Chaucer The Pardoneer ´s Tales701 Words   |  3 Pages In the story, â€Å"The Pardoner’s Tales†, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote the character the Pardoner in descriptive way. He describe the Pardoner’s corruption teaching and the way the Pardoner act in the tale. The religious that the Pardoner teaching is corrupted and very selfish, greediness, and gluttony. This thing are all opposite to what the real church religious is teaching. In the story, he tricks the people to buy his fake relics and other things by using the church’s believe. The Pardoner act and hisRead MoreThe Pardoners Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer Essay1114 Words   |  5 Pagesis a way of life†. The Pardoner’s tale, written by Geoffrey Chaucer, underlined the main theme â€Å"radix malorum est cupiditas†, or that greed is the root of all evil. The Pardoner’s tale is an eccentric tale about three brothers, who succumb to the temptations of greed. In The Pardoner’s tale he referenced that the characters, or rioutours who e xhibited these sins were men, because it would be unrealistic in that era to see women behave in that context. â€Å"The Pardoner’s Tale is rife with allusion toRead MoreMoral In The Canterbury Tales1221 Words   |  5 PagesCanterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales have an ultimate lesson at the end, just as every other literary work does. In some of them, he simply states what it is, or some may have to be inferred. During the time, many social and historical events were taking place, and in some instances, Chaucer chose to base the moral around it. While reading The Canterbury Tales, the audience gets entertainment and a basic knowledge of what life what like through the lessons he presents. All of the tales morals differRead MoreCorruption In The Canterbury Tales Essay879 Words   |  4 Pagesunlimited; despite its holy mission the church was plagued by corruption and misconduct. Member’s of the clergy sold indulgences, bribed officials, and abandoned their vows. The religious characters in the Canterbury Tales are used to demonstrate the authors views of the Church. In Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Chaucer uses The Friar and the Nun in the â€Å"General Prologue† and The Pardoner in the â⠂¬Å"Pardoner’s Tale† to show the systemic corruption that is present in the church by exhibiting their immoralRead More Powerful Satire in Chaucers Canterbury Tales Essay3466 Words   |  14 PagesThe Canterbury Tales If one theme can be considered overriding or defining throughout Medieval European society, it would most likely be the concept of social class structure. During this early historical period in Europe, most of society was divided into three classes or estates: the workers, the nobles, and the clerics. By Chaucers time, however, the powerful estate structure had begun to wear down. Weaknesses in the system became apparent, as many people, such as Chaucer himself, seemedRead MoreSt. Augustine s Confessions Essay1534 Words   |  7 Pagesin Saint Augustine’s story of the pear will be applied to Chaucer’s â€Å"Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale.† Thus, allowing readers to realize that the Pardoner embodies sin as Augustine defines it. In Chaucer’s â€Å" The Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale,† the Pardoner is a medieval preacher whose ultimate goal is to earn money by soliciting offerings and granting pardons. The prologue begins with the Pardoner describing everything that Chaucer believes to be corrupt with the church of his day. The Pardoner describesRead MoreReality of Human Nature Hidden Behind the Canterbury Tales Essay1460 Words   |  6 PagesReality of Human Nature Hidden Behind the Canterbury Tales A common word on the street says that everyone is different, therefore behave differently. Everyone has their own lifestyles and have diverse habits or reactions among circumstances. It is true. People do have different appearances, styles, ethnicities, and interests because of how they were raised within a family or just the way they are born. However, physical appearances may have an effect on how people are unlike, but emotionally andRead MoreEssay on Chaucers The Canterbury Tales927 Words   |  4 PagesChaucers The Canterbury Tales In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer comments on moral corruption within the Roman Catholic Church. He criticizes many high-ranking members of the Church and describes a lack of morality in medieval society; yet in the â€Å"Retraction,† Chaucer recants much of his work and pledges to be true to Christianity. Seemingly opposite views exist within the â€Å"Retraction† and The Canterbury Tales. However, this contradiction does not weaken Chaucer’s social commentary.Read MoreThe Pardoner Of Chaucer s The Canterbury Tales1129 Words   |  5 Pagescommon attribute attributed to many of Chaucer’s religious characters in The Canterbury Tales. They are greedy, drunks, and people without a moral code. In The Pardoner’s Tale this theme is exemplified. The Pardoner is greedy and drunk. Matthew 19:24 (ESV) says, â€Å"Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.† D espite this, the Pardoner’s only goal is to scam as many people as he can with his â€Å"pardoning† of sins. The Pardoner