Pardoner and His Relics
As by some strange perversion of metonymy, characters in literature are often characterized by their possessions, along with or rather than their words and deeds. In other words, those things which are closely related to a character show many of the same traits as the character himself; and, describing said objects may begin to substitute for a description of the actual character. This method of characterization is used by Geoffrey Chaucer in his description of the Pardoner in The Canterbury Tales. As readers, we learn about the Pardoner not only through his (conflicting) words and actions, but his character is further exemplified by his possessions. When we first hear of the pardoner, the narrator is in the process of describing each of the pilgrims. The Pardoner is at once established a fake, and it becomes clear that none of his "relics" are really what they appear to be. In the general prologue, the narrator says, "For in his male he hadde a pilwe-beer Which that he saide was Oure Lady veil; (line 696)" "Ha hadde a crois of laton, ful of stones, And in a glas he hadde pigges bones, (line 701)"In other words, he keeps a jar full of old rags and sells them as secon
The Pardoner, however, desires neither of these things. "Finally, the pardoner makes the statement of ultimate hipocraty when he says, "Radixmalorum est cupiditas. So, the Pardoner and his relics become almost interchangeable in their descriptions and Chaucer is able to describe those things with closely relate to the Pardoner, and assume that their descriptions and false and forged will transfer to the Pardoner himself. Both the relics and the Pardoner himself assume rights that they do not have. When, in reality, neither really does. Thus can I preche again that same vice Which that I use, and that is avarice (line 138). Rather, he seeks to increase people's greed and sinfulness. So, it becomes clear that the pardoner does not truly believe that his preaching will impact anyone's life at all. Further, he invents false papal bulls to encourage people's ideas that it is okay to sin, because a quick fix will always be close at hand, as long as they can afford it. Both seek to falsely comport patrons and both assume heavenly authority that neither truly has. Thus it becomes clear that the pardoner is savagely abusing his papal authority in order to secure his own gain. He says:"I stoned lik a clerk in my pulpet,And when the lewed peple is down yset, I preche so as ye had herd before,And telle an hundred false japes more (line 104). When we first hear from the pardoner, he is a bit drunk and tells more than he may have otherwise told. "In other words, he counts on people's greed in order to make a living (or as he says, a good living), but at the same time preaches against it.
Common topics in this essay:
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Pardoner Relics,
people's greed,
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Geoffrey Chaucer,
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people's trust,
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papal authority,
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