In the poem, The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer uses many methods of.
characterization to develop the lively personalities of the pilgrims. In particular, he develops the.
character of the Pardoner, a minor member of the church who bought pardons for sinners and.
sold them. Chaucer gives the reader a very picturesque view of the Pardoner in his physical.
description. The Pardoner is further developed through his actions and relations with the other.
pilgrims. The Pardoner is finally complete in development in the telling of his particular tale.
Through these various methods of characterization, the Pardoner is dipicted as a thoroughly.
simple and corrupt way.
The Canterbury Tales is full of colorful descriptions, especially in the case of the.
Pardoner. His physical description makes it easy for the reader to create a picture. "[.] Hair as.
yellow as wax, / Hanging down smoothly [.] / He wore no hood on his head [.] / but for a little.
cap his head was bare / [.] He"d sewed a holy relic on his cap" (L. 695- 705). From his hair to.
his cap and also the condition of his personal belongings, the Pardoner's description helps the.
reader to feel connected to him (in a literary kind on way.) Through his description the reader.
comes to learn the Pardoner is one who very often cheats people and is obsessed with money.
"And (well he could) win silver from the crowd./ That's why he sang so merrily and loud" (L.
733- 734). Physical description alone is not enough to fully be one with the Pardoner. Chaucer.
does a superb job in connecting the reader with each pilgrim. One's relationships with others.
plays a significant role in this.
Chaucer tells of the Pardoner's relationships with and actions toward other pilgrims not.
only in the prologue of The Canterbury Tales, but also in "The Pardoner's Tale". In the tale the.
pardoner tells how the love of money is the root of all evil. After preaching money will not help.
one in heaven, he goes on to push the purchase of indulgences on his fellow pilgrims.
