The Pardoners Tale Background Information

The Pardoners Tale

An introduction to the Medieval Period and Chaucers The Canterbury Tales

1Medieval Perioda.k.a Middle Ages 5th century-16th centurySpoke and wrote Middle EnglishOld EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

2The Medieval Period was also known as the Middle Ages. The time spanned the 5th century through the 16th century. The English language is divided into three periods, Old English (or Anglo-Saxon), Middle English, and Modern English. The English language morphed throughout the centuries into what we know of it today.Old EnglishA combination ofCelticLatinAnglo-Saxon (Germanic language)And Viking words

Credit: Read by J. B. Bessinger, Jr. FromBeowulf and Other Poetry. Copyright 1984 by HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. Used by arrangement with HarperCollins. Probably the earliest extant Old English poem, composed sometime between 658 and 680.Cf.NAEL1.23.

3Old English was a combination of languages, such as Celtic, Latin, Anglo-Saxon-a Germanic language, and Old Norse, the language of the Viking invaders. Thus, it is no wonder why the English language has many words from many cultures. It is truly a melting pot of words and sounds. Now listen to Caedmon's Hymn probably the earliest Old English poem.Middle EnglishOld English with the addition of Norman French

Credit: Read by Alfred David, Indiana University. The three rioters meet an old man.Cf.NAEL1.291;MA254.

4Middle English was created through the addition of Norman French and extends from the 12th century to the 15th century. Listen to an excerpt from The Pardoners Tale from The Canterbury Tales.Modern English15th century onIncludes Shakespeare!

Credit: Read by James Knapp.Cf.NAEL1.1042;MA506.Sonnet 146 ("Poor soul, the center of my sinful earth"), William Shakespeare, 1609.

5Modern English extends from the 16th century to our language today. Listen to Shakespeares Sonnet 146 read aloud.Medieval PeriodInfluence of the Catholic ChurchUnified the peopleCentral administration (network of bishops)Literacy and learningTeachersWrote, recorded, and copied literature and history of the timesCrusades

6The Middle Ages were grounded in the Catholic Church as its center. It unified the people through a network of bishops. During the time, learning and literacy, such as reading and writing was written, recorded, and copied. It was also during this time that the Crusades, or the holy wars took place.Medieval PeriodBlack DeathBubonic & pneumonic plagues4 out of 5 people who contracted the plague died within 8 daysAbout 50% of Europes population died within a 4 year period

7The Bubonic Plague, or Black Death, was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history. The plague, which started in central Asia, peaked in Europe between 1348 and 1350, killing between 75 and 200 million people, or approximately 30-60% of Europes population.The Pardoners TaleWritten by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 1300sPart of The Canterbury TalesFrame story: an overall unifying story in which other stories are toldPilgrims on a journey to visit the tomb of a saint in Canterbury swap stories to pass the time

8The Pardoners Tale is one of Geoffrey Chaucers The Canterbury Tales which was written in the 14th century. The Tales themselves are a frame story, in which the overall unifying chronicle is told through other stories. The frame of the tale encompasses people who are telling anecdotes and narratives while on a journey to visit the tomb of a saint in Canterbury. The Pardoners TaleStory told by the PardonerPardoner--a man who sells indulgences (pardons) for the churchSells fake relics to cheat the poor upcountry peopleTheme of his story is that radix malorum est cupiditas--Greed is the root of all evil

9The pardoner is the main character in the story. He is a man who makes a living selling falsified and fake relics. He is taking advantage of people in order to gain wealth.

The Pardoners TaleAllegory--a narrative in which characters, settings, and objects stand for abstract or moral conceptsCan be read both literally and symbolicallyI.e. personified Death

Inspired The Tale of the Three Brothers in the last Harry Potter novel

10Through analysis of The Pardoners Tale, readers encounter allegory, a literary device which encompasses symbolism as characters, settings, or objects represent ideas or concepts. For example, Death in the tale can be both literal and symbolic, such as Death is actually personified.Finally, The Pardoners Tale is said to have been an inspiration for The Tale of the Three Brothers in the final Harry Potter novel.The EndAudio Recordings"The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Archive."The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Archive. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Archive, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2013.