Canterbury Tales Essay, Research Paper

Throughout literature, relationships can often be found between the author of a

story and the story that he writes. In Geoffrey Chaucer’s frame story,

Canterbury Tales, many of the characters make this idea evident with the tales

that they tell. A distinct relationship can be made between the character of the

Pardoner and the tale that he tells. Through the Prologue to the Pardoner’s

tale, the character of the Pardoner is revealed. Although the Pardoner displays

many important traits, the most prevalent is his greed. Throughout the prologue,

the Pardoner displays his greed and even admits that the only thing he cares

about is money: "I preach nothing except for gain" ("Pardoner’s

Tale", Line 105). This avarice is seen strongly in the Pardoner’s tale as

well. In the Pardoner’s tale, three friends begin a journey in order to murder

Death. On their journey, though, an old man leads them to a great deal of

treasure. At this point, all three of the friends in the tale display a greed

similar to the Pardoner’s. The three friends decide that someone should bring

bread and wine for a celebration. As the youngest of the friends leaves to go

buy wine, the other two greedily plot to kill him so they can split the treasure

only two ways. Even the youngest decides to "put it in his mind to buy

poison / With which he might kill his two companions" (383, 384). The

greed, which is evident in the character of the Pardoner, is also clearly seen

in the tale. Another trait that is displayed by the Pardoner and a character in

his tale is hypocrisy. Although the Pardoner is extremely greedy, he continues

to try and teach that "Avarice is the root of all evil" (6). The

characters in his tale display great hypocrisy as well. As the tale begins, the

friends all act very trustworthy and faithful towards all of their friends. They

nobly make a decision to risk their lives while trying to slay their friend’s

murderer. As they talk about their challenge, they pledge "to live and die

each of them for the other, / As if he were his own blood brother"

(241-242). At the end of the tale, the "brothers" begin to reveal

their true nature. They all turn on each other in an attempt to steal the

treasure for themselves. All of the loyalty, which they had pledged, was simply

a lie and no faithfulness remained. While the two older "brother"

plotted to kill the younger, the younger "brother" plotted "to

kill them both and never to repent" (388). Thus, these so-called faithful

"brothers" display their true ruthlessness and reveal their hypocrisy

in relation to the Pardoner’s character. The characters in the "Pardoner’s

Tale" match the unctuous nature of the Pardoner in a great deal of ways.

All of these traits and ideas that are seen in both the Pardoner and the tale

that he tells show a strong relationship in the two. Chaucer used this technique

in all of the tales that are recorded in Canterbury Tales. This technique gives

a greater insight into the mind of the teller. By analyzing the tales, it is

possible to learn much about the teller of the tale. Using this method, Chaucer

focuses on the characteristics of each of the people involved in Canterbury

Tales, but also keeps the poem interesting.