Description
In the Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale, Chaucer provides us with the fascinating picture of a medieval conman who habitually profits from the faith of the simple villagers. But his attempt to impress a more educated audience fails disastrously. The Pardoner is motivated not only by greed but by a desire to dominate and occupy the centre stage, aided by his spectacular verbal skills. These obvious faults, however, may be only a screen for anxieties over his doubtful gender status and inability to repent. The Tale he tells may also reveal more about himself than he thinks it does. In presenting a moral tale told by a thoroughly immoral man, and showing its effect on audiences, Chaucer raises many questions about the nature of fiction and its reception which still engage thoughtful readers today. This edition of the Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale provides the text in Middle English with marginal glosses of all the unfamiliar words, and further explanatory notes on the facing page. The Introduction includes background information on the Church in Chaucer’s day and on his language as well as a commentary on each section of the Prologue and Tale. Six critical essays have been selected to provide students with a variety of interpretations of Chaucer’s story, and suggestions for further reading are included.
