Questions and Answers
What does the Pardoner do in his prologue?
Tells all the pilgrims that he is a con artist and an expert at it
What does the Pardoner preach against?
Avarice
What does the Pardoner preach?
Greed (money) is the root of all evil
What does 'Radix malorum est cupiditas' mean?
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Does the Pardoner care what happens to people?
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What happens when the Pardoner preaches against avarice?
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What does the Pardoner do?
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What does the Pardoner do in every town?
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Who does the Pardoner preach to?
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What is the Pardoner going to tell?
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Why is the Pardoner very blunt?
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Who are the three rioters?
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What do the troublemakers leave the bar looking for and why?
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What does the guy at the tavern tell the troublemakers?
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Who do the troublemakers meet on their way to find 'death'?
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How does the old man treat the troublemakers?
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How do the troublemakers treat the old man?
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Why does the old man say he's old?
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Why hasn't the old man died?
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Is the old man ready for death?
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What has he been asking Mother Earth to do?
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What does the old man say that the troublemakers have done?
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What does the old man mention about the Bible?
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What do the troublemakers accuse the old man of?
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What does the old man call the troublemakers and where does he say they will find death?
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What do the troublemakers find under the tree?
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What do the troublemakers forget about when they find the money?
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How do the troublemakers feel when they find the money?
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What do they decide to do when they see the money?
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What problem do the troublemakers encounter with the money?
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What solution do the troublemakers think of to fix their problem?
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What happens when the plan for the solution takes place?
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What happens when the youngest troublemaker returns?
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Did the troublemakers find death under a tree?
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What does the Pardoner do when he is done telling his tale?
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Who does the Pardoner single out to sell pardons to and why?
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Why may the Pardoner be tricking the pilgrims after his tale?
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Study Notes
Pardoner's Character
- The Pardoner openly admits to being a con artist, capitalizing on people's guilt for profit.
- His preaching focuses on avarice, repeatedly claiming that "greed is the root of all evil."
- He does not genuinely care about the well-being of individuals and exploits their vulnerabilities for financial gain.
Tale of the Three Rioters
- Three drunken troublemakers seek to confront "death" after hearing of its prevalence.
- They meet an old man who, despite their rude attitude, treats them kindly.
- The old man reveals that they have dishonored themselves by their disrespect and refers them to death's location.
Discovery and Betrayal
- The rioters discover a fortune of gold coins under a tree, leading them to forget their quest for death.
- They feel lucky and claim the treasure, but soon face a dilemma about transporting it safely to town.
- A plan is devised where the youngest will fetch supplies while the other two remain with the gold. The two plot to kill him, aiming to keep the treasure for themselves.
Fatal Consequences
- Upon returning, the youngest is stabbed by the two who were left behind, while they unknowingly drink the poisoned wine he had brought back.
- Consequently, all three rioters meet their demise under the tree, with death being the bitter outcome of their greed.
Pardoner's Conclusion
- After sharing his tale, the Pardoner attempts to sell pardons to the pilgrims, demonstrating his unchanging nature.
- He targets the host for forgiveness, identifying him as potentially the most sinful, showcasing his manipulative tendencies.
Themes and Irony
- The story highlights the hypocrisy of preaching against greed while embodying it.
- The ironic twist of the rioters seeking death and ultimately finding it emphasizes the moral of the tale regarding the destructive nature of greed.
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Description
Explore the intriguing characters and moral lessons in Chaucer's 'The Pardoner's Tale'. This quiz delves into the themes of greed, betrayal, and the consequences of one's actions through the stories of the Pardoner and the three rioters. Test your understanding of these timeless narratives.