A Review of Canterbury Tales: The Pardoner's Tale

 The last few months I have been reading one English classic after another. I have finished finished Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson recently, and am now reading Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin. But foundation to essentially all of English Literature is the Canterbury Tales.
 The Canterbury Tales was written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century. The stories actually English rather than Latin, the more common language of the everyday common English folk. Chaucer was a Christian, and was certainly opposed to corruption in the church as is often portrayed in his stories.
 In fact, Chaucer was a student of the reformer John Wycliffe. That said it remains today debatable as to the specifics of Chaucer's religious faith. Whether the great poet was a Roman Catholic or Lollard* is still an issue of debate.
 All that said, I now precede to my post and the next story of the Canterbury Tales.
 The Pardoner that tells the tale is quite a crooked churchman. He promises the other Pilgrims at Canterbury that he will them absolvement for any sin so long as they give him money. The Pardoner in fact cares nothing of men's relationship to God.
 The tale is about three rascally men who are foolish and have an obsession towards drinking. Drunkenness is strongly condemned in this tale,  and drinking warned of. One day the men find an old man who promises them a local treasure. They hastily go for it and in their greed kill each other for it. These same brothers are sworn loyalty to each other. The story thus shows that is much danger in swearing, gluttony, gambling etc, such common sins of fools. But perhaps above all, this story shows how greed can destroy relationships.
 Of course the Pardoner himself that tells the tale is no saintly man!
 This was my least favorite yet of the Canterbury Tales, yet all in all, a good read. A least favorite among these stories is in comparison to some of the best therein in all of literature!
 It should be noted that many copies of the Canterbury Tales do not include all the stories. If you read them then make sure you get a copy of the full work.

 * The Lollards were English separatist that followed the teaching and theology of Wycliffe. Some of their beliefs varied, though they rejected a number of Roman Catholic teachings including Transubstantiation.  The Lollards help set the foundation for the coming English Reformation.



''Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! '' -James 3: 5