Cantebury Tales: Pardoner's

Analysis of the Pardoner’s Tale The Pardoner’s Tale is a reflection of the greedy personality of the narrator, as he is a practicioner of the sins he preaches against. As the most corrupt member of the clergy, he displays his avarice and immorality by carrying fake relics to cheat people out of their money and by using “his flatteries and prevarication [to make] monkeys of the priest and congregation” (22). At the beginning of …

…can be renewed “each time and in good money”, but he eventually becomes more forceful in his conviction and frustrated with their reluctance to pay, as he orders the Host to “unbuckle [his] purse”, clearly showing his greed for money rather than his spiritual devotion to absolving people’s sins (257). Thus, the Pardoner uses his seemingly moralistic tale as a means to cheat his fellow travelers out of their money and to satisfy his greed.