# The Pardoner's Tale explained — The Canterbury Tales

> Chapter companion for The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.

## What happens

The Pardoner, a corrupt church official, preaches a moral tale against greed and sin, using his own hypocrisy as a backdrop. He tells of three young rioters who set out to find Death, only to be undone by their own avarice when they discover a treasure and betray one another, leading to their mutual destruction.

## Themes in this chapter

### Corruption and Hypocrisy in the Church

The Pardoner himself embodies this theme, preaching against greed while openly admitting his own avarice and deceit.

### Sin and Redemption

The tale illustrates the consequences of sin, particularly greed, and the lack of redemption for the rioters who die unrepentant.

## Character check-ins

### The Pardoner

The narrator of the tale, a corrupt church official who preaches against greed while indulging in it himself.

### Our Host

The Host reacts to the Pardoner's tale and his attempt to sell relics, engaging in a tense exchange.

## Key lines

> Radix malorum est Cupiditas

The root of all evil is greed.

_The Pardoner's repeated theme, used to justify his own avarice while preaching against it._

> And thus I preach against the very vice I make my living out of—avarice.

I preach against the sin of greed, even though I profit from it.

_The Pardoner's candid admission of his hypocrisy._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-pardoner-s-tale
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters