Nearly every aspect of the Pardoner’s tale is ironic. Irony exists within the Pardoner’s -character- to show how he is not telling the truth. Irony also exists within the Pardoner’s tales themselves, to show his true intentions and just what he actually means by what he says . The Pardoner tells stories of sin, even though no point in his speech does he ever condemn any type of sin or wrongdoing. The Pardoner uses irony because it appears that Pardoners are meant to be honest men who follow God, but this one Pardoner is anything but honest.
He lies about himself continuously throughout the story so as to fool people into giving him money. He can gain more wealth than what fools give him for fake relics he shows them. Chaucer uses irony so Pardoner’s audience does not see Pardoner’s real intentions. Pardoner’s story is full of ironic situations, but many of them are forms of dramatic irony . Dramatic Irony exists when the audience knows something that a character in a story or drama does not know.
Pardoner has self-knowledge which restrains him from telling his true purpose for being at the tavern. Pardoners were trusted representatives of the church who sold “relics” to townspeople and sinners. Pardoner tells his stories with great enthusiasm, despite knowing that they contain lies and false teachings. Pardoner also tell people about what will happen after death if somebody commits certain types sins while Pardoner knows all the stories are not true.
Pardoners were trusted by church, Pardoner shows Pardoner’s audience Pardoner is nothing but a liar and Pardoner cannot be trusted. Pardoners sell relics to townspeople Pardoner uses false relic that Pardoner sells to fool people into giving Pardoner money. Pardoners are supposed to be honest men who follow God, but this one Pardoner is anything but honest. Chaucer creates Pardoner as someone who seems trustworthy at first, although he has lived his life deceiving others for wealth .
Many of the tales told by the Pardoner are ironic because they contain “contrasting characters or actions that are unexpected, incongruous or contrary to expectation” Pardoner’s intention was not honest Pardoner used Pardoners to gain money Pardoner tells story about the Seven Deadly Sins Pardoner knows stories are lies Pardoner uses ironic tone through out his speech Pardoners were trusted by church Pardoner is liar and cannot be trusted Pardoner has self-knowledge which restrains him from telling his true purpose for being at the tavern Pardoners sell relics to townspeople Pardoner uses false relic that Pardoner sells to fool people into giving Pardoner money.
Chaucer shows his main character as a man who does not follow God, but deceives others to gain wealth Pardoner’s intention was not honest Pardoner used Pardoners to gain money Pardoner tells story about the Seven Deadly Sins Pardoner knows stories are lies Pardoner uses ironic tone through out his speech Pardoners were trusted by church Pardoner is liar and cannot be trusted Pardoner has self-knowledge which restrains him from telling his true purpose for being at the tavern Pardoners sell relics to townspeople Pardoner uses false relic that Pardoner sells to fool people into giving Pardner money.
Irony is used throughout The Pardoner’s Tale because the main character uses his stories as a way to trick people into buying false relics of saints and coins of Christ, but the irony within his tales themselves is that he does not truly believe what he says (this creates dramatic irony). He tells them with enthusiasm despite knowing they are lies.
These ironic tones include double meanings, contrasts between expectation and outcome or action, and contrasts between what Pardoner claims or what he actually does. Pardoner is an incredibly ironic character, filled with contradictions. Pardoner’s superficial piety and his greed are in direct opposition; he knows that the relics he sells aren’t genuine but justifies this by telling himself God has given him the power to “make false things seem true”. Pardoners were trusted by church Pardoner tells Pardoner’s audience Pardoner is nothing but a liar and Pardoner cannot be trusted. Pardoners sell relics to townspeople Pardoner uses false relic that Pardoner sells to fool people into giving Pardner money.
Chaucer shows his main character as a man who does not follow God, but deceives others to gain wealth Pardoner’s intention was not honest Pardoner used Pardoners to gain money Pardoner tells story about the Seven Deadly Sins Pardoner knows stories are lies Pardoner uses ironic tone through out his speech Pardoners were trusted by church Pardoner is liar and cannot be trusted Pardoner has self-knowledge which restrains him from telling his true purpose for being at the tavern Pardoners sell relics to townspeople Pardoner uses false relic that Pardoner sells to fool people into giving Pardo money.
Chaucer’s main character is a man who acts as if he is an honest man, but deceives others in order to gain wealth. The irony within Chaucer’s Pardoner’s Pardoner Tale is that he Pardoner does not truly believe the Pardoners stories to be true, but tells them with enthusiasm despite knowing they are lies.
Double meanings, contrasts between Pardoners and Pardons expectations and Pards outcomes, and contrasts between Pardoners claims and Pardner’s actions all create an ironic tone throughout the text. The Pardoner is filled with contradictions; he has superficial piety while being incredibly greedy, which do not mesh well together. He justifies his sale of false relics by thinking God has given him power to “make false things seem true”, but knows that the Seven Deadly Sins (which he makes up) are indeed lies himself. Chaucer shows Pardoner Pardoners to be a deceptive person Pardoner cannot be trusted Pardoner Pardoners sell relics to townspeople Pardoner uses false relic that Pardo sells to fool people into giving Pardo money.
