1.
Discuss the Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale as an example of Confessional
and Sermon tradition by discussing the Pardoner’s rhetorical style.
Chaucer’s Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale blend elements of both the confessional and
sermon traditions in a unique and ironic way. The Pardoner begins with what appears to be
a confession. He openly admits that he is a fraud: his relics are fake, he preaches only for
profit, and he has no intention of saving souls. Yet, this confession is not born out of guilt or
remorse—it is brazen and almost boastful. He seems proud of how well he manipulates
people’s emotions and fears to make money. This transforms the act of confession into a
performance, stripping it of any true spiritual value.
In contrast, the tale he tells is structured like a traditional sermon. It begins with a clear
theme—“Radix malorum est cupiditas,” or “the love of money is the root of all evil”—and
develops into a story that powerfully illustrates that message. The tale warns of the deadly
consequences of greed, telling of three men who all die because they cannot resist the
temptation of gold. The moral is emphasized through vivid storytelling, biblical allusions,
and a clear lesson, just as a preacher would deliver from the pulpit.
The Pardoner’s rhetorical style plays a key role in this dynamic. He is a gifted speaker who
knows exactly how to move his audience. He uses repetition, irony, and direct address to
draw listeners in. His storytelling is vivid and dramatic, and his tone shifts expertly between
light humour and serious moral warning. This mastery of language makes his tale
convincing, even though his character is deeply corrupt. Chaucer uses this to expose the
dangerous power of rhetoric in the hands of someone immoral. Ultimately, the Pardoner is
both a performer and a preacher, and his tale demonstrates how religious forms can be
manipulated for selfish ends.
2. Discuss the Pardoner’s Tale as a medieval morality tale.
The Pardoner’s Tale is a textbook example of a medieval morality tale—stories designed to
teach moral lessons through symbolic characters and clear outcomes. In this tale, three
riotous young men set out to defeat Death, only to find gold under a tree. Each, consumed by
greed, plots to kill the others, and by the end, all three lie dead. The lesson is unmistakable:
greed leads to death. This is not just a plot twist but a warning deeply rooted in Christian
teaching and medieval values.
The tale uses allegorical figures to embody sin. The rioters are not named or fully developed
as individuals because they are meant to represent common human flaws like gluttony,
drunkenness, and above all, avarice. The gold becomes a symbol of temptation, and the old
man, possibly Death in disguise, serves as a mysterious guide toward their doom. These are
classic features of a morality tale—using symbolic figures to teach spiritual and ethical
truths.
Interestingly, even though the Pardoner himself is corrupt, the tale’s moral message
remains true. This separation between the speaker and the story adds a layer of irony.
Chaucer seems to suggest that moral truths can still come from morally flawed people. In
this way, the tale works on two levels: as a straightforward moral lesson and as a subtle
critique of religious hypocrisy.
In conclusion, The Pardoner’s Tale clearly fits within the medieval tradition of morality
tales. Its simple structure, symbolic characters, and clear moral make it an effective tool for
instruction and reflection, reminding readers that sin—especially greed—has deadly
consequences.
