Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales tells the story of a man filled with sin. However, he does it in a humorous and ironic way. This tale is called an “exemplify”, which helps to deliver its main message. The pardoner is a con artist who uses people’s faith against them and tells them that if they don’t donate money, they won’t go to Heaven. In the end, the Pardoner will do whatever he has to in order to make a profit. The Pardoner starts out by criticizing all those who gamble, drink, or blaspheme. However, he later confesses to these sins. The reader finds it amusing that he makes a mockery of himself and people continue to give to him. Chaucer subtly reflects on the corruption and funniest way to do it. Many people enjoy giving advice, but they don’t have the same ideas as them. The main idea in the Tale is “Radixmalorum ist cupiditas” meaning, “Greeds are the root cause of all Evil.” However, while the Pardoner preaches about avarice and making money through the exploiting of Church members, it is humorous for those who read it.
The pardoner’s tale is both about sin and corruption. It seems that the story was intended to undermine the Church’s people. Although the pardoner is an official of the Church, he clearly works for the church’s economic gain. The Pardoner, in The Prologue, makes it clear that he is greedy. The Pardoner is a sinister man who lives in cupiditas. He doesn’t care what his sermons are about, he only cares about how much money he gets after delivering them. The Pardoner should be concerned about the well-being and financial security of those who listen to his sermons. However, he doesn’t care about where the money is coming from. The Pardoner does not condemn what God would have condemned, but he also explains the traits and activities that he has. The Pardoner is willing to lie in order to make money. The pardoner tricked people into kissing “relics,” which were not authentic. Because he knew the power he held over these people due to their devotion to God, his greed was unbridled.
The message, although written over a decade ago, is still relevant today. The Pardoner does more than tell his story. He also talks about three men who lost everything because of greed. The Pardoner’s Tale’s avarice theme shows the consequences of greediness in society and people; now, and then.
