Geoffrey Chaucer was a genius at catching people being their worst selves. If you've ever felt like someone was selling you a dream that was actually a scam, you’ve basically met the Pardoner. In The Canterbury Tales, the Pardoner stands out not just because he’s a crook, but because he’s so incredibly honest about how much of a crook he is. He’s the original "fake it till you make it" influencer, except instead of selling crypto or lifestyle retreats, he was selling bits of old pig bones and pieces of "holy" cloth to poor people in the 14th century.
It’s a wild character study. Most people in the Middle Ages were terrified of hell, and this guy capitalized on that fear with a smirk on his face. He’s arguably the most modern character in the whole book. He doesn’t just commit a crime; he performs it.
The Pardoner's Tale: A Masterclass in Hypocrisy
The Pardoner is a man of the church, sort of. His job was to travel around selling indulgences—documents that promised the forgiveness of sins. But Chaucer gives us a guy who is flamboyant, possibly drunk, and completely cynical. He starts his performance by telling the other pilgrims exactly how he tricks people. He literally says his theme is always Radix malorum est cupiditas (greed is the root of all evil). Then, without missing a beat, he explains how he uses that exact sermon to make himself rich.
He’s got a bag full of "relics" that are totally fake. He tells the pilgrims that a mitten he has can multiply grain if the farmer just gives him some money. It’s a total grift. But here’s the kicker: his story is actually good.
The story he tells—the actual "Pardoner's Tale"—is a dark, chilling fable about three rioters who go looking for Death so they can kill him. They find a pile of gold under an oak tree instead. Long story short, they all end up killing each other because of greed. It’s one of the best-paced short stories in English literature. The irony is so thick you could cut it with a dagger. A man who lives for greed tells a perfect story about why greed will kill you. He knows he’s a hypocrite. He just doesn’t care.
Physicality and Subtext
Chaucer’s description of the Pardoner is legendary and, frankly, a bit uncomfortable. He has hair "as yellow as wax," hanging down in thin strands like flax. He has "glaring" eyes like a hare. Chaucer also famously remarks, "I trow he were a gelding or a mare," hinting at the Pardoner’s ambiguous sexuality or perhaps a lack of "manliness" by medieval standards.
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This wasn’t just Chaucer being mean. In the 1300s, physical appearance was often used in literature to signal a character’s internal morality. The Pardoner’s high-pitched voice and lack of a beard suggested something "off" or "unnatural" to a medieval audience. He’s a hollow man. He has no depth of soul, just a talent for manipulation and a very expensive wardrobe.
Why the Pardoner's Prologue Matters More Than the Story
While the story of the three rioters is what most students remember, the Prologue is where the real meat is. This is where the Pardoner breaks the fourth wall. He admits he doesn't care about the souls of the people he’s "saving." He’d take the last penny from a widow with starving children.
He’s a performer. He loves the sound of his own voice. When he stands in the pulpit, he says his neck stretches out like a dove sitting on a barn. He’s mocking the very people who listen to him. It’s a level of psychological complexity that you just don't see in other writing from that time. Most medieval villains were just "bad guys." The Pardoner is a man who knows he is damned and has decided to be the best at being bad.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a power move. He tells the pilgrims exactly how he scams people, then—after he finishes his story—he has the audacity to try and sell his fake relics to them! He turns to the Host, Harry Bailey, and tells him he should be the first to pay because he’s the most "enveloped in sin." It doesn't go well. The Host threatens to cut off the Pardoner's testicles and enshrine them in a pile of hog poop. It’s one of the few times in the book where the tension gets genuinely violent.
The Moral Vacuum
The Pardoner is what scholars call an "unreliable narrator," but in a weird way. He’s reliably evil. He doesn't hide his motivation. This creates a fascinating tension for the reader. You want to hate him, but you can’t help but be impressed by his skill.
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- He’s an expert rhetorician.
- He understands human psychology better than the Knight or the Monk.
- He uses the "truth" (that greed is bad) to facilitate his own "sin" (greed).
This is why The Canterbury Tales stays relevant. The Pardoner isn't an ancient relic; he’s every televangelist who bought a private jet with donations from the poor. He’s every corporate executive who talks about "community" while cutting pensions.
The Mystery of the "Old Man"
In the Pardoner's Tale, the three rioters meet an old man who is wrapped up except for his face. He can't die. He wanders the earth looking for someone to trade their youth for his age. He points the boys toward the gold, which leads to their death.
Who is he? Some say he’s a personification of Death itself. Others think he’s the Wandering Jew or just a symbol of the wisdom the rioters lack. By including this eerie, supernatural figure, the Pardoner shows he actually understands the spiritual world he’s mocking. He knows what’s coming for him. He just thinks he can outrun it, or at least have a good meal and a drink before it catches up.
Practical Insights for Modern Readers
Reading about the Pardoner isn't just a homework assignment. It’s a lesson in discernment. Chaucer was writing at a time when the Church was the most powerful institution on earth, and yet he had the guts to show how that power could be corrupted by a single charismatic ego.
How to spot a "Pardoner" today:
- The Performance: They focus more on the delivery and the "vibe" than the actual substance of what they’re saying.
- The "Us vs. Them" Narrative: The Pardoner often insults the intelligence of his victims while pretending to be on their side.
- The Pivot to Profit: No matter how spiritual or moral the conversation starts, it always ends with a call to action that involves your wallet.
The Pardoner is a reminder that the most dangerous lies are the ones wrapped in a layer of truth. He tells a story that is morally correct to justify a life that is morally bankrupt. If you can understand the Pardoner, you can understand a lot of what’s wrong with modern public discourse.
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The next time you’re reading The Canterbury Tales, pay attention to the silence after the Pardoner finishes. The other pilgrims are stunned. They’ve just seen a man tear his own mask off and then try to put it back on as if nothing happened. It’s terrifying, it’s funny, and it’s profoundly human.
To really get the most out of this text, compare the Pardoner to the Parson. The Parson is the "good" religious figure in the book—he actually lives what he preaches. Chaucer puts them in the same book to show that while the system can be corrupted, the ideal still exists. The Pardoner is the shadow that makes the light of the Parson look brighter.
Dig into the Middle English if you can. Even if you just listen to a recording, the rhythm of the Pardoner’s speech is designed to be hypnotic. It’s meant to win you over. Don’t let him.
Actionable Next Steps
- Read the Prologue and Tale back-to-back. Focus on the transition where he shifts from confessing his sins to trying to sell the pilgrims his "pigge bones." It reveals the sheer gall of the character.
- Look for the "Old Man" passage. Analyze the dialogue between the rioters and the old man. It’s the most "literary" part of the tale and offers the most room for interpretation regarding the Pardoner's own fear of mortality.
- Contrast with the Parson. If you’re writing an essay or studying for a test, the contrast between the Pardoner’s "performance" and the Parson’s "practice" is the most common and effective angle for analysis.
- Watch a performance. Finding a staged version of the Canterbury Tales helps you hear how the Pardoner’s voice is supposed to sound—oily, persuasive, and ultimately hollow.