2. Background This tale is based on an Oriental folk-tale Scholars consider “The Pardoner’s Tale” one of the “finest ‘short stories’ ever written” This tale is an exemplum: * Exemplum – A story told to illustrate an intellectual point. The Pardoner is viewed as the most complex figure on the pilgrimage The Pardoner admits to being guilty of all seven deadly sins; however, he can still tell a moral tale and get people to repent
3. The Pardoner Job: sold pardons and indulgences to those charged with sins Characteristics: -Loud high-pitched voice, long flaxen hair, had no beard (and would never have a beard), effeminate characteristics -Carries relics- crosses -Rides at the back of the pilgrims -Untrustworthy -Looking to “cash in on religion”
4. “The Prologue”Pgs. 241-244 The Pardoner tells the other pilgrims about his style of preaching He uses the same old text he always has: ~ Radix malorumestcupiditas-“The love of money is the root of all evil” He states how he shows his bulls and flaunts the Papal seal for his protection The Pardoner tells stories and throws in a little Latin to “spice up” his teachings He goes on to state how he bring out his “relics” and claims that each has special powers
5. “The Prologue”Pgs. 241-244 For example: 1) The shoulder bone of a sheep, if dipped in a well and the water consumed, can ~cure livestock from swelling ~cure all animals of skin problems ~multiply the cattle of the owner who drinks from the well ~cure jealousy in a husband, if broth is made from it 2) A glove, if worn by the owner while sowing seeds and if he pays the Pardoner money, can ~ multiply the grain of the owner The Pardoner says he cannot do anything for truly bad sinners
6. “The Prologue”Pgs. 241-244 However, “good people” can step forward, pay money, and he will shrive them of their sins with the authority given to him by the Pope He states how “That trick’s been worth a hundred marks a year” The Pardoner states how he preaches to the “yokels” and tells lies and mockeries during his sermons When he speaks of Avarice (insatiable greed for riches), & Cupidity, the people pull out their money and give (out of guilt) ~“For my exclusive purpose is to win And not at all to castigate their sin.”
7. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 241-244 The Pardoner uses his tongue to get back at those who have hurt his “brethren or me.” ~ He does not call them by name, but uses enough clues so everyone knows who the person is The Pardoner admits his main purpose is to acquire money: ~ “I preach for nothing but for greed of gain” He makes his living off the very vice he preaches against –avarice but can still get people to repent (even though that is not his primary goal) ~ “Covetousness (inordinately or wrongly desirous of wealth or possessions) is both the root and stuff of all I preach.”
8. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 241-244 He tells old stories people love to hear The Pardoner states that, as long as he can preach, he will not live in poverty like the old apostles He means to have money and a wench in every town The Pardoner admits he will even take money from the poorest person The Pardoner states he is drunk, but can touch on a moral tale, even though he is a bad person The Pardoner says he will tell a tale that has earned him a lot of money in the past Finally, he asks for silence before he begins
10. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 244-249 The story takes place in the town of Flanders There are three young men who engage in many sins They like to hang out in bars Gamble eat and drink too much be blasphemous, and engage in lechery and other excesses ~ “Our dear Lord’s body they will rend the tear” The dancing girls add to the gluttony by being the ones to “blow the fires of lechery (excessive indulgence of sexual desire)” ~ “lust is bred of wine and drunkenness.” The Pardoner pontificates for a while He gives examples about the dangers of drinking too much:
11. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 244-249 1) Lot – The Biblical character who daughters got him drunk and “ground corn” with him 2) Herod – The Biblical character who was drunk when he ordered the beheading of John the Baptist * Seneca says there is no difference between a drunkard and a madman, except that madness lasts longer ~ “O gluttony, our first distress!” The Pardoner says it was gluttony that got Adam thrown out of Paradise (again?) He says if we knew all of the problems associated with gluttony, we would be more temperate in our eating and drinking:
12. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 244-249 ~ “O thou belly! Stinking pod Of dung and foul corruption, that canst send Thy filthy music forth at either end,” Some people go to great lengths to eat the best foods and to satisfy a “lascivious appetite.” ~ “Be sure a man whom such a fare entices Is dead indeed, though living in his vices.” Wine has been the cause of many problems * Look at what happened to Sampson ~ “Drunkenness is the very sepulchre Of human judgement and articulation.”
13. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 244-249 The Pardoner says all of the noble acts and great victories in the Old Testament were won in “abstinence” and in “prayer” We are given examples of two people: 1) Attila the Hun - He died in his sleep 2) Lemuel- King of Massa whose mother told him kings should not drink for they will forget the law and rob people of justice The Pardoner goes on to talk about the dangers of gambling He says gambling is the cause of many other sins like: lies, stealing, murder, etc. while it ruins your reputation ~ “A common gambler is a nasty name.”
14. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 244-249 The Pardoner says a gambler is not fit to be a leader. Examples are given of: 1) Stilbon – Ambassador from Sparta; he refused to negotiate with gamblers from Corinth 2) King Demetrius – Given a pair of dice by the king of Parthia (it was to show scorn) The Pardoner goes on to talk about swearing and perjury: ~ “Look at the third where it is written plain ‘Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain.’ You see He has forbidden swearing first; Not murder,”
15. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 244-249 ~ “Vengeance on him and all his house shall fall That swears outrageously, or swears at all.” The Pardoner says the fruit of gamblers is: ~ Perjury ~ Rage ~ Homicide (These come about as a product of gambling)
17. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 250-254 Finally, the Pardoner gets back to the tale The rioters are in a bar when a funeral procession goes by They ask the tavern-boy to go see who had died; he already knew It was a friend of the rioters who died of the plague last night (many have died in this current outbreak) The rioters are warned by the tavern-boy and the publican to be careful because Death takes anyone at anytime The three rioters make an oath to stick together, be brothers, and to defeat Death * Remember: The Pardoner spoke earlier about how one sin can lead to other sins
18. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 250-254 On their way to the village spoken of by the publican, the rioters encounter an old man dressed in old, ragged clothing * Scholars have interpreted this character to represent: ~ The Devil ~ The Grim Reaper or The personification of death * Personification – When a non-human entity takes on the traits of a human being. The old man says he has been searching all over the world for someone who would exchange ages with him
19. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 250-254 The old man says death will not take him The three rioters treat him poorly The old man says: ~ “Do no more harm to an old man than you, being now young, would have another do when you are old” The rioters accuse the old man of being a spy for Death The old man tells the rioters he left Death under a tree ~ “To find out Death, turn up this crooked way Towards that grove, I left him there today under a tree, and there you’ll find him waiting.”
20. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 250-254 The rioters run to the tree and discover eight bushels of gold florins! The rioters forget about their pursuit of Death * Situational Irony – When what actually happens is the opposite of what is expected to happen They plan on how to get the gold home They decide to wait until nightfall before they carry it because someone might think they stole it They draw straws to see who will go back to town for supplies The youngest one wins
21. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 250-254 When the youngest leaves, the other two plot how to kill him so they only have to split the gold two ways The plan is for one to “play wrestle” with the young one When this happens, the other will stab the young one and the two will continue until he is dead Meanwhile, back in town, the youngest is planning how to kill the other two so he can have all of the gold to himself
22. The Seven Deadly Sins 1) Pride – Elevated sense of self (exaggerated self-esteem) 2) Avarice – Greed (desire always to want more) 3) Lust – Excessive sexual desire 4) Anger – Great displeasure resulting from injury or mistreatment (and a desire for retribution) 5) Gluttony – Eating or drinking to excess 6) Envy – Jealousy due to another’s advantages 7) Sloth – Extreme laziness
24. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 255-End The youngest goes to the apothecary and buys poison; the man says it will kill instantly He borrows three bottles from another man * He pours poison in two of the bottles, along with wine. He just pours wine in the third bottle When the youngest returns, the two rioters execute their plan and kill him! The two rioters sit down and rest before burying the body; they drink the wine They die on the spot! All three rioters are now dead! The Pardoner’s story is over, but he continues to preach
25. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 255-End The Pardoner makes a cry out about various sins He states how Jesus died for people’s sins to be forgiven, but people are just unnatural and false inside The Pardoner tells the other pilgrims: ~ “God forgive your sin and keep you from the vice of avarice!” The Pardoner states how his pardons will free them from all of this if they pay him the right amount of money He asks them to bow down before his holy bull, he will write down their names in his book, and they will go to Heaven
26. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 255-End ~ “For I’ll absolve you by my holy power, you that make offering, clean as at the hour when you were born…” The Pardoner says he would not deceive people while he preached He says how he should have mentioned in his tale that they could buy relics and trinkets from him They can also buy pardons from him and renew” them in every town! He states how lucky the pilgrims are to have such a great Pardoner with them on the trip
27. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 255-End He can absolve them of their sins quickly in case an accident should happen and they die The Pardoner calls upon the Host to be the first one to come forward, pray, and kiss his holy relics The Host refuses and states how he knows the Pardoner’s relics are fake: ~ “You’ll have me kissing your old breeches too and swear they were the relic of a saint although your fundament supplied the paint!” The host goes on to make another derogatory statement
28. “The Pardoner’s Tale”Pgs. 255-End The Pardoner is so angry, he cannot speak The Host feels he has finally shut up the Pardoner The Knight steps in and tells the two that is enough The Knight asks the Host and the Pardoner to kiss and make up so they can keep things going in a friendly way The Pardoner and the Host do just that The two kiss and make up The pilgrims continue on their journey
