The Pardoner's Tale Questions

What is the old man's appearance like?

He is a shrunken, wrinkled old man. He is wrapped up in clothing so most of his body cannot be seen.

Where does the old man tell the rioters he last saw Death?

He last saw Death under a nearby tree.

What does the old man seek as he travels endlessly from place to place?

He seeked to stop suffering in his old age but God would not let him die.

Can stories such as this one encourage people to behave well even in times of crisis? Explain.

I feel like it can console people and influence them to be good people, but there's always going to be some people who wouldn't listen to the moral stories.

Do you think the desire for gain is ultimately destructive, as the Pardoner's tale suggests, or can it lead to positive consequences? Explain.

I feel like the want of riches just to say that you are rich and have money is an ultimately destructive want. It's also a destructive goal to want to gain riches at the expense of others, like stealing or conning them. However, if you want to get rich through hard work and dedication is not inherently evil behavior as long as you don't become greedy.

What time of the day do these guys show up at the tavern to drink?

It is in the morning around church time.

The Pardoner is quite open about manipulative use to which he puts the tale. Do the Pardoner's reasons for telling the story detract from its moral truth? Explain.

The moral of the story is that money is the root of all evil. I feel like it doesn't detract from the story's moral truth, it's just that the Pardoner is using it for the wrong reason.

What does the knave-boy reveal to them when they ask him to find out what's going on?

The person in the coffin was a friend of the drunkards. He had died when "Death smashed his heart in two."

The tale refers to the time of the plague. What does the tale suggest about the effects of such a disaster on society?

The tale suggests that people will turn to anything that seems like it would help in a time of strife, such as drinking or giving away all your possessions.

Explain how the rioters end up dying.

The youngest rioter went to town and bought poison to put into the wine they would drink except for his own bottle. Later, the other two stabbed him in the back and both of them ended up dying because they drank the poisoned wine.

When the story opens, what are the rioters doing?

They are drinking in a tavern.

What sort of people are they? Explain how you know.

They are drunkards who spend the majority of their time drinking in the tavern. I know because if they were in the tavern so early, it is likely they spent the entire night there drinking. They also aren't very religious because it's near the time of church and they aren't sober or trying to clean up their appearances.

What agreement or pact do the three rioters make with each other?

They are going to find and kill Death.

Who killed the rioter's friend?

They believe that Death killed the rioters' friend. (Really it had been the Bubonic Plague.)

What do the rioters find when they hunt there?

They found a huge pile of gold coins.

What event disturbs them this morning as they try and drink?

They hear a bell ring and see a coffin passing by the tavern.