Seven Deadly Sins In Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

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Recommended: Moral lessons from the pardoner's tale

Among the "Seven Deadly Sins" there are a host of vices which plague mankind even to this day. Not chief but definitely not desirable is that of "Greed" or "Avarice." Greed can be described as "intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth or power". Within The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer shows the entire spectrum of human morality. In more than one tale, the topic of Greed is shown to be a very popular with the caravan of travelers. In The Pardoner's Tale, the content of the tale gives the best and most clear representation of the vice greed, as well as the results that may occur if one falls to such, as does the Pardoner himself represent one who is consumed of greed.
In The Pardoner's Tale, during the Prologue, the Pardoner himself admits his knowledge of his own sins. He is aware of his vices, but this does not stop him from denouncing the acts of those around him, or offer them repentance. His tale deals with a story of how greed can trample good intentions as well as blind one's heart. The story takes place in Flanders, which is on the continent in Northern Europe. The story starts in typical Canterbury style with three men sitting in a tavern. The Pardoner does not miss the chance to mention how these men are sinning with their drinking and gambling. He even goes as far as to quote sacred scripture:
"Our dear Lord's body they will rend and tear
As if the Jew had rent Him not enough;" (Chaucer 263).
Despite the crimes which the Pardoner accuses them, he continues to tell the tell of the youngsters. It is a tale which starts out with the three men discussing how someone named "Death" killed one of their acquaintances and they seek retribution. This killer seems also to have the blood of many pe...

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...ertising campaign-or rather an obvious one. Just as the Pardoner does, Jim Jones used his "authority" and his undeniable charisma to use his followers to the very end.
In summary, the Pardoner and his tale are excellent examples of greed and avarice, as are televangelists and cult leaders are great examples in the modern world. They all use their talents and their authority to take advantage of those of weaker wills and uses them to their advantage. The Pardoner sells pardons for spiritual repentance, the televangelist does a similar thing when asking for donations, "for the church." The cult leader uses his status as "God's chosen" to pass judgment for people who seek guidance just as the Pardoner sells relics for the same purpose. The worst part of it all is that these men are greedy, and they are fully aware of their actions and how terrible they can be.

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