Essay on Chaucer's Canterbury Tales - Power of the Pardoner's Tale

945 Words2 Pages

The Power of the Pardoner's Tale

Geoffrey Chaucer was a author of the 12th century. Chaucer is

known as the father of English poetry. He wrote Canterbury Tales which is

a collection of narrative short stories written in verse. "The Pardoners

Tale" is among the more popular of these varied tales. It is told by a

pardoner who uses the story to preach against those who are blastfamous and

gluttonous. In an odd twist, after he tells the story he trys to sell

others counterfiet relics. In this short story about greed, disrespect

and death Chaucer utilizes three important literary tools personification,

irony, and symbolism.

In the tale by Chaucer Personification is utilized on the character

of Death. When a young boy is asked what happened to a man who had just

died he responds in saying "There came a sneaking thief that men call

Death, who slays all the people in this country, and with his spear he

struck his heart in two, then went his way without saying another word."

They show there feelings by pledging to each other to murder death. "Let

each of us hold up his hand to this false traitor Death. He that slays so

many shall be slain himself before nightfall."

In "The Pardoners Tale" personification is employed to make Death a

person instead of a process. Death is given human characteristics to make

him more real to us. This tool allows the main characters to focus their

feelings.With the use of personification the three men are allowed to

focus their feelings of vengence on a person instead of a biological

process.

Another tool that was heavily relied on was irony. There are many

examples used to show irony in the story. The old man sends the three

drunkards down a path where he says death is, however, a pot of gold

awaits them there instead. "If your so anxious to find Death, turn up this

crooked path; for in that grove I left him, by my faith, under a tree, and

there he'll stay." The irony in this event is that the three men who were

ready to kill Death totally forget about him once the gold is found.

After the three villians find the gold they send one into town for supplies.

Open Document