Canterbury Tales

Essay Test In The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer, each character, such as the Pardoner, Wife of Bath, and the Franklin, epitomizes their spirit and reputation through the tales they tell. The Pardoner uses his tale as a gimmick to make money, because he is a greedy man. The way his tale illustrates each sin, every listener can relate to the three brothers and feel their guilt. The Wife of Bath’s Tale expresses her own values in the way the Knight is given a second chance after raping the young virgin. This greatly undermines her idea of the value of women. Because the Wife of Bath is so sexual, and lacks respect for her self, the Knight’s actions and forgiveness represent her own attitude on men versus women. Lastly, The Franklin’s tale, because of it’s simplicity and honesty in the way the wife stayed true to her husband, is a direct representation of Franklin’s trouble-free and joyful lifestyle. He prefers things without trouble or conflict, which is the tone of the story. Each character tells a tale that is and appropriate match to their persona.
The Pardoner’s tale is appropriate because it targets every sin a person can commit. He does this to compel his audience to feel a connection and sense of guilt after the story is through. This is his elaborate technique to scam the people out of their money. “O cursed sin! O blackguardly excess!/ O treacherous homicide! O wickedness!/ O gluttony that lusted on and diced!” (256). This single phrase illustrates almost every one of the seven deadly sins, and the Pardoner does this intentionally. His goal is to make his listeners feel like sinners, and feel as though being pardoned is essential. The Pardoner’s tale is a clear example of his persona not entirely because of the tale itself, but the way it is told. The tale is told in length and detail, making certain he has pinpointed each sin, but when it is over, he quickly jumps to asking his listeners for money. “My holy pardon frees you all of this/ Provided