Geoffrey Chaucer was a author of the 12th century. Chaucer is known as the father of
English poetry. He wrote Canterbury Tales which is a collection of narrative short
stories written
in verse. "The Pardoners Tale is among the more popular of these varied tales. It is
told by a
pardoner who uses the story to preach against those who are blastfamous and gluttonous.
In an
odd twist, after he tells the story he trys to sell others counterfiet relics. In this
short story about
greed, disrespect and death Chaucer utilizes three important literary tools
personification, irony,
andsymbolism.
In the tale by Chaucer Personification is utilized on the character of Death. When a
young
boy is asked what happened to a man who had just died he responds in saying "There came a
sneaking thief that men call Death, who slays all the people in this country, and with
his spear he
struck his heart in two, then went his way without saying another word." They show there
feelings
by pledging to each other to murder death. "Let each of us hold up his hand to this
false traitor
Death. He that slays so many shall be slain himself before nightfall."
In "The Pardoners Tale" personification is employed to make Death a person instead of a
process. Death is given human characteristics to make him more real to us. This tool
allows the
main characters to focus their feelings.With the use of personification the three men are
allowed to
focus their feelings of vengence on a person instead of a biological process.
Another tool that was heavily relied on was irony. There are many examples used to
show
irony in the story. The old man sends the three drunkards down a path where he says
death is,
however, a pot of gold awaits them there instead. "If your so anxious to find Death,
turn up this
crooked path; for in that grove I left him, by my faith, under a tree, and there he'll
stay." The
irony in this event is that the three men who were ready to kill Death totally forget
about him once
the gold is found. After the three villians find the gold they send one into town for
supplies.
During the absence of the villian who went into town, one of the others suggest the
murder of the
absent one to increase there share of the money. "You are well aware that you're my
sworn
brother. I'll you something that will profit you. . . you know very well that there are
two of us,
and two are stronger than one. Watch him when he sits down, then get up and go for him
in jest,
and I'll stab him. . ."This villian plans to kill a man he has just sworn to brotherhood
only to
increase his finacial gain. Instead of trying to find Death and kill them they relax
and without
even knowing it they find Death upon them..
Irony has many uses it can be used to teach or to humor us. The irony in this story is
used
to teach a lesson. The use of irony is very important to the moral of the story. It
shows us that
Death is impossible to escape. It may also add that we have no control over our lives
that
everything that happens is set.
This particular tale is very symbolic. Symbolism is the representation of one thing for
another. The path that the old man send the three men down is crooked. This is used to
show
that the path they are taking is evil or sinful. When they reach the grove the gold is
under a tree.
"Every one of these rioters ran until he came to that tree, and there they found it, it
seemd to them,
nearly eight bushels of fine gold florins." The tree could be a representation of the
tree in the
garden of eden and the gold of the apple in the garden. The most important form of
symbolism is
that of the symbolism of Death. I believe Death is symbolized by one character in the
story, the
old man. The old man seems to have magnificent powers that are superhuman. It seems to
be
more than just being a "wise old man." "Because I can't find anyone. . . that will
change his
youth for may age; and so I must keep my age as long as it's God's will. Not even Death,
alas,
will have my life. Thus I walk like a restless prisoner, and on the ground, which is my
mothers
gate." He is imortal, forced to wonder the earth forever much like Death. He also
refers to the
earth as his mother which may mean mother nature was his mother, again similar to Death.
Even
though he refers to death as another person this may only infer that even he would not
have his
life.
In retrospect, Geoffrey Chaucer exploited many different literary forms to create a
cohesive story line. Personification is used to focus our feelings on the character of
Death as a
living being rather than a process. Chaucer use irony to teach a lesson to the readers.
Symbolism
is used to relate the lesson to our lives. With these factors all combined it creates a
story which
we can relate to even today because greed is universal.
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