Pardoner's Tale Study Guide

what impossible task do the rioters want to do? why is this silly?

*death is being personified* they want to kill death this is silly because death isn't real

exemplum

a story that teaches a moral lesson

what is the pardoner's main vice?

avarice (greed)

what personification of death does the old man offer? why?

death hasn't claimed him yet, he's old he wants to die, he sees death as a mother (caring & nurturing)

who killed their friend? how many has he killed lately?

death killed their friend he's killed 1000 (plague is going on)

how are the youngsters in the tale described?

disgusting, noisy rioters, drinking, gambling, curse, vulgar sense of humor

what is the pardoner selling?

forgiveness of sins (pardons or relics)

what does he mean when he says he can "win them from win"? why does he do this for them?

he can forgive their sins. it's his job & he wants more money

what is the third rioter (the youngest) who goes to town planning on doing to the other 2 so he can have the money? how does he plan to accomplish this?

he plans on poisoning them by filling up 2 bottles up with poison and 1 clean bottle or himself

what helpful information does the man give them?

he told them where they could find death

what kind of tale does the pardoner say he is going to tell? why is this ironic?

moral tales he is not a moral man

what is the meaning of line 74 ("be on your guard with such an adversary")

pay attention around you because death could come at any time

which 4 of the 7 deadly sins is the pardoner guilty?

pride, greed, lust, gluttony, and sloth (never does honest work)

why does the pardoner choose to tell this particular tale?

so people will by forgiveness from him. since no one knows when they'll die, they should have their hearts pure and clean before death

who does the pardoner anger by saying he should be shriven first?

the Host

who tries to alleviate the situation? what does this say about his character?

the knight this means that he's very humble, kind and a good moral person

irony in the story...

the pardoner is a greedy character. his story is about greed and how death can come at any time. he says this story because more people would come to him to get pardoned for sin and he gets money

what happens to the third rioter when he returns? what then happens to the other 2?

they attacked and stabbed him then they drank the poison filled bottles and died

what do the rioters find under the tree? what have the young men already forgotten?

they find florins (money) they forgot about looking for death

what do they hear going by when they are drinking in the tavern? what do they want to know?

they hear church bells ringing for funeral they want to know who it is

why is the old man offended by the rioters?

they make fun of his age & they want to kill death (he wants death to kill him)

what are the 2 men planning to do to the "lucky man" that went to town? why?

they plan on stabbing him so they can get more money by only splitting it 2 ways

what were the men searching out in the first place? did they find it?

they were searching for death yes, because they are all dead now