The Host and the Pardoner abruptly end their quarrel. The Host’s response angers the Pardoner, so the Knight intervenes before they start a fight. After telling his tale, the Pardoner attempts to sell his relics to the pilgrims, especially to the Host, before the Host replies with a mocking remark. He is hardest against drunkenness because it leads to regrettable misbehavior. When the Pardoner introduces the Tale’s characters, he interrupts it with sermons against drinking, gluttony, and swearing. They die beside their murdered friend’s body. The two remaining men sit back, relax, and drink the poisoned wine.

As soon as he lays down the food, he is killed. He, too, wants the money for himself and had set about to kill the other two. Eventually, the young man returns with food and wine laced with poison. One of the young men is sent off to seek food and drink, while the two others conspire to murder him in order to enjoy more of the money. They approach the tree and only to find a hoard of gold coins. An old man reveals to them that Death’s location is near an oak tree in a grove. He continues with a story about three young rioters in Flanders who sought to defeat Death after a friend dies from the plague. The Pardoner consistently preaches that “Greed is the root of all evil” while selling indulgences, or pardons of sin, and keeping the money for himself.

According to him, he does not mind if the money comes from “…the poorest page, Or by the poorest widow in the village” (Chaucer 163-164). He also says he would willingly trick vulnerable people like widows and their hungry children.

He admits his hypocrisy, but his love for money, food, and liquor stop him from ending his vices. The Pardoner is a swindler, a smooth-talking cleric who offers pardons for sin in exchange for money (known as “indulgences” in the Middle Ages).

Chaucer the pardoner