"The Pardoner's Tale"
Things to Consider:
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Use of Figurative Language
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Biblical/Religious References
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Divine/Poetic Justice
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Death
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Hypocrisy vs. Honesty
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Allegory ?
** Homework Questions **
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What is poetic justice? Does this tale employ it? Explain.
563:
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What is a Pardoner? What is this one like?
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Is he a hypocrite or is he honest about his contradictions? Both?
Neither?
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What four major sins does he address in this tale?
564:
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What does "Radix malorum est cupiditas" mean? How is it
an ironic subject for his sermon?
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Why is he admitting so much about his sins and deception?
565:
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Explain: "They rent our blessed Lord's body in pieces anew (as
if the Jews had not rent him enough!)" (565).
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Why is gluttony considered the "first cause of our undoing"? Do
you agree that Adam's and Eve's was a sin of gluttony? Explain.
568:
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How does the tale proper complement the commentary that precedes and
follows it?
Other Discussion Questions:
564:
What is a "bull" in this context (it's not an animal)?
565:
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How did Lot sin against nature?
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What is the difference between substance and accident?
566:
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How is gaming the mother "of blasphemy of Christ" (566)?
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Who is the "privy thief"? Why is "he" called that?
567:
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To what is the old beggar referring when he mentions "my mother's gate"
(567)? Explain.
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Why are the three drunk men suspicious of the old man?
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Has the old man really left Death in the woods? Explain.
568:
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Do the three men get what they deserve? Explain.
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How does the Host respond to the Pardoner's offer of absolution?
Why?
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What is "your old breech" (568)?
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