Essay on Chaucers Canterbury Tales - Power of the Pardoners Tale :: Pardoners Tale

The Power of the Pardoner's Tale      Ã‚  Ã‚   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, and symbolism.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   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."      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   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.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     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.