Name ______
The Pardoner’s Tale Questions Fall 2011
Directions: As you read “The Pardoner’s Tale” and “The Pardoner’s Prologue” (p. 170-180), answer the following questions about the story.
1. What is a pardoner and what does he do?
2. What is avarice?
3. Read lines 16-22, in what way is the Pardoner’s choice of avarice for his tale a sign of his corruption?
4. Read lines 39-47, why does the Pardoner tell his moral stories? How is his motive ironic, or different from what you might have expected?
5. Read lines 50-57, why does the Pardoner admit his own corruption?
6. Define allegory:
7. Read lines 72-89, identify the allegorical character presented in these lines. Who fears him and why?
8. What bargain or agreement did the rioters make at the tavern?
9. They met an old man as they began their journey. What was the old man's problem?
10. Where does the old man send the rioters?
11. Read lines 149-158, is the gambler good or evil and why?
12. Read lines 167-182, in what way is the discovery that the rioters make ironic, or different from what you had anticipated?
13. Read lines 183-200, how do you think the three men will react to the challenging of sharing their treasure?
14. Read lines 207-229, what is the rioters’ plan and is their corruption surprising?
15. Read lines 236-242, give examples in these lines that greed is the subject of this moral story.
16. Read lines 243-259, how does the youngest rioter’s level of corruption compare to that of his friends?
17. Read line 279, what do you think will happen to the three men?
18. Read lines 280-289, how does the rioters’ end support the lesson that the desire for money is the root of evil?
19. Do the rioters get what they deserve and why do you think they way you do?
20. Read lines 326-340, in what way does the Pardoner reveal his corruption in the end?