Pardoner's Tale Irony

Brandon Quarterman

Mrs. Thomas

English IV

24 October 2016

Dramatic and Situational Irony throughout The Canterbury Tales

Have you ever been in a situation and believed you know the end result of the situation? However, the complete opposite of what you believed would happen occurs instead. This technique of writing is called the use of situational and dramatic irony. This writing style is used both today and in the medieval periods by many writers. One story in the medieval times that used this style of writing is The Canterbury Tales. The Author Geoffrey Chaucer uses The Canterbury Tales to show many examples of situational and dramatic irony throughout the tales of "The Pardoner", "The Knight", and "The Miller's".

The first tale that

shows situational and dramatic irony is "The Miller's Tale." This tale starts off with an old carpenter named John that is married to a young, out of his league, a girl named Alison. John doesn't think he can trust her due to their age difference. This is where Chaucer brings in the first sense of situational irony where Nicholas asks Alison to have sexual relations with him. However, she says "I will not kiss you, in faith."(2) This later in the story the complete opposite when Alisoun and Nicholas have sex when her husband leaves town. The purpose of this irony at this point of the story is to show the reader that she would be faithful to her husband because she is married to him. The story goes on with the secret couple sneaking around John. Then "Nicholas would create a ruse to beguile this poor jealous husband; and if the game went as planned, that should be his."(3) However, this is just Chaucer using dramatic irony. The reader knows that this plan that Nicholas is coming up with is just to trick John so himself and Alison can sleep together in John's bed. Chaucer puts this in for the reader to know that everything that Nicholas tells John is fake, like when Nicholas says, "I have found by astrology, as I have been looking in the shining moon, that now a Monday next, about a quarter though the night, there shall fall a rain so wild and mad that never was Noah's flood half so great. This world shall all be drowned in less than an hour, so hideous shall be the downpour. Thus shall all mankind perish in the flood."(5) The next irony we see happen later in the story is with Alisoun and Nicholas and the other man that loves her Absolon when he wants a kiss from her. Absolon is another man in town that fell in love with her just at sight but can't have her cause she is in love with Nicholas. This is where the next example of situational irony comes out when she says she will kiss him and after he must leave. However, you find out that a kiss is not what he is actually getting instead over her lips he receives her ass. This is put in the story to show that she is faithful to Nicholas but not John for when Nicholas asked she did it. The last sense of dramatic irony is when Absolon asks for another kiss but instead of an actually kiss he was going to brand her; however, Nicholas is the one participating in the sticking out his ass this time where he is then branded. These are just some ways that Chaucer uses irony throughout this tale this show the reader many messages.

The second tale that Chaucer uses situational and dramatic irony is in The tale of the Knight. The Knight's Tale happens to show many scenes of irony throughout the whole tale. The first sense of irony that Chaucer presents is when Arcite is freed from prison with one exception by Duke Theseus "The agreement of Arcite, that if ever in his life he were found by day or night in any realm of Theseus and were caught, he should lose his head by the sword."(3) This was put in the tale by Chaucer to show that it was in Arcite's best interest not to come back to Athens, however, Arcite returns later in the story. Later in the story we see Chaucer use dramatic irony with Arcite when he comes back to Athens. Where he changed his face, clothes and "He called himself Philostrate"(5) to enter the town again. A little after being in the town "Arcite, dwelling in the royal court with Theseus, as chief squire." This is dramatic irony because Duke Theseus does not know Philostrate is Arcite but the reader does. This is not the only example of dramatic irony in the story. As we go through the story some more the next example or situational and dramatic irony appears in the same scene. This is where Arcite defeats Palamon in the war for Emily's heart. The reader thinks that the battle is won by Arcite and he will marry Emily, However, the complete opposite happens because Saturn promised Venus that Palamon would get Emily's heart. "Out of the ground Burst an infernal Fury, sent from pluto at the request of Saturn, for fear of which Arcite's horse suddenly turned and leapt aside and, as he leapt, foundered and, before Arcite could notice, pitched him on the crown of his head. He lay on the ground as if lifeless."(15) This is dramatic irony as well because the reader knows beforehand that Venus told Palamon would get Emily. Chaucer uses this scene to show both situational and dramatic irony. His purpose was to show that the Gods that Arcite, Palamon, and Emily prayed to fulfill their promises.
The final tale that Chaucer use situational and dramatic irony is The Pardoner's Tale.

This tale starts with three friends searching for this man named Death. "There came a stealthy thief that's known as Death,Throughout this country robbing folks of breath." (The Pardoner's Tale,Line 675-676) This is the first existence of Chaucer using dramatic irony in this tale. This is dramatic irony because the reader knows that death is not a person however the three friends don't know this. As you continue in the tale the three friends find treasure behind a tree. They send the youngest one to get food and wine and this is where Chaucer uses situational irony. One of the older friends said "You know that we are two, And two of us are stronger than is one. As soon as he sits down, as if for fun Arise as though you'd have with him some play, Then in both sides I'll stab him right away While you and he are struggling as in a game.And with your dagger see you do the same.Then all this gold, dear friend, when we are through Shall be divided up twixt me and you."(The Pardoner's Tale, Lines 824-832) Chaucer uses this irony to show the reader that the two older friends will have all the money to themselves and live a happy life. While out for the food and wine the youngest thinks "If only that I might have all this treasure for myself alone!"(The Pardoner's Tale, Lines 840-841) He comes up with the plan to poison the 2 oldest friends and take the all the money for himself. This is Chaucer using dramatic irony because the reader knows that the two friends plan to kill him and take the money. These are just some example of how Chaucer uses situational and dramatic irony in "The Pardoner's

Tale."

Geoffrey Chaucer uses The Canterbury Tales as a well to tell stories with messages built into to them. While he writes these stories he uses dramatic and situational irony to help the readers while they read his story. In his stories, I believe that his story reflects the reader the same in today society as it did in the medieval period. It basically is just a story for comedy but also has a little message in them all such as greed is the root of all evil, you shall marry same age, and love will make you do anything.