Possible Answers for “The Pardoner’s Tale” and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”
“The Pardoner’s Tale”
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Pg. 1196 top
? Your own definitions
Greed
Greed, Sloth (laziness), Gluttony (over indulge), Lust, Pride, Envy and Anger
Greed, Sloth, Gluttony and Lust
They are characterized the same as the Pardoner- same sins. They represent the Pardoner.
Line 71….the Bubonic or Black Plague
Death (personified)
The old man can be seen as Death- he complains that death never finds him- Death is what the
rioters seek yet they don’t recognize it right in front of them!
He knows that Death always finds you in the end- after all, he is DEATH! He also comments on
their behavior so it could be FORESHADOWING
Their greed (avarice) now outweighs their desire to kill Death- yet their Greed is what ultimately
kills them and therefore leads them to Death.
**Find at least 3 or 4 references where the Rioters use language such as “God” or “Jesus”- there
is irony in the fact that (1) they are far from religious men ….see their sins…. And (2) they
represent the Pardoner
He says it is to kill rats/vermin and a Polecat…he is referring to his friends as ‘rats’…also rats
spread the plague leading to death.
? Summarize the tale in your own words!
“The Wife of Bath’s Tae”
1. Corruption of the Church (friars and religious figures) during this time period; King Arthur;
Chivalry
2. She believes they are corrupt; she condemns them since they are supposed to be virtuousdirect attack on the Friar
3. Code of Honor/Conduct; respect of Women- the knight rapes a young girl which breaks his vows
of chivalry ; he takes her ‘power’ away
4. This is a woman’s tale- ultimately what women want is POWER. The irony is that women DO
NOT have power during this time period (EVEN though it seems that our Wife of Bath does!)
5. He has to figure out what women truly desire AND he has 1 year and 1 day to do so!
6. (lines 101 – 125) They want wealth, treasure, honor, jollity & pleasure. Nice clothes, fun in bed,
widowed and remarried. Pampered & flattered, make a fuss over, freedom to do as they please,
thought of as virtuous, dependable, and discreet and can keep (their love’s) secrets. This is a
direct reflection of the Wife of Bath’s character.
7. That women are hypocritical- wanting to do as they please yet still be thought of as virtuous and
without flaw.
8. The Wife of Bath’s version of Midas’ story has a woman giving up his secrets YET in Ovid’s
original version it has a man (the barber) giving away Midas’ secret.
9. The knight is being punished for raping a beautiful girl- he still hasn’t learned his lesson since he
was attracted to these 4 and twenty beautiful girls dancing- there is irony that his original flaw
(attraction to the beautiful girls) is what leads to his salvation
10. She says that she will give the answer if he vows to do what she wants- but never really specifies
what it is. He agrees without question.
11. Women desire POWER most
12. The knight pleas/begs to not have to fulfill the crone’s request- marriage-b/c she is old, poor and
of a lower class than he. In the end he is forced to wed.
13. She counters all of his arguments: nobility has nothing to do with birth but rather with your
actions, poor is not about money but about your spirit/soul and uses God as her example and
last that she is old but faithful and very wise versus being young and a cheater.
14. Line 314 and 324 are some examples
15. Which would he want of her- old (and ugly) but faithful or young and beautiful but unfaithful.
16. He gives the POWER back to his wife so she can choose.
17. She becomes young, beautiful and vows to be faithful.
18. It alludes to what she may have done to her husband’s!
19. ? Summarize the story in your own words!