Read and

Write

A12BL_Nat_ANCA_IRW_SE_TP_RD10.in1 1 2/14/08 6:35:15 PM

 Learning Objectives

For pages 19–38

In studying this text, you
will focus on the following
objectives:
Literary Study: Analyzing
irony.
Reading: Analyzing tone.

from The Pardoner’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer

from The Pardoner’s Tale 19

Before You Read

from The Pardoner’s Tale

Connect to the Poem
“The Pardoner’s Tale” is about greed—an exaggerated and desperate need or desire
for money. Check the following statements you agree with.
■ Greed makes people selfish.
■ Having a lot of money is always a good thing.
■ If you have a lot of money, you should help your friends.
■ Many students will agree with the first and last statements only.

Build Background
Underline key words and phrases as you read the following list.
• “The Pardoner’s Tale” is part of The Canterbury Tales, a collection of stories in
poem form that Geoffrey Chaucer wrote in the 1300s. This collection begins with
“The Prologue,” which is set in a tavern near London.
• In “The Prologue,” Chaucer describes the chance meeting of about thirty diverse
strangers (including the pardoner). These characters agree to compete in a
storytelling contest while traveling to Canterbury.
• Their trip is a pilgrimage—a religious journey to a holy place. Today, people from
a variety of religions continue to go on pilgrimages. For example, many Muslims
make an annual pilgrimage to Mecca. We may also associate the pilgrims’ journey
to Canterbury with the modern “road trip.”
• Following “The Prologue,” each pilgrim tells his or her tale. This creates a frame
story—a plot structure based on the telling of a story within a story.
• A church representative called a pardoner tells the following story. This pardoner is
corrupt; he charges people money on behalf of the church for divine forgiveness
and then keeps the money for himself. His tale is an exemplum—a brief story
that teaches a lesson about how to behave.
• Chaucer ran out of time to complete The Canterbury Tales. He didn’t write about
the pilgrims’ return journey or say who won the storytelling contest. However, the
work remains an incredible literary achievement.
• Not written in Latin (the language of religion and scholarship) or Norman French
(the language of the court), The Canterbury Tales helped develop English as a
literary language. It also helped establish the London dialect of English—rather
than a regional dialect (such as that of the Gawain poet)—as the dominant form
of English.

Set Purposes for Reading

Read to find out what happens when greed drives a group of friends to betray
one another.

20
 Literary Element Irony
Irony is a contrast or difference between what is expected and what actually happens. It
produces a darkly humorous effect. Situational irony occurs when a character expects
one thing but the opposite, or something totally different, happens. Verbal irony occurs
when a character says one thing but means another. Dramatic irony occurs when the
reader knows something that the characters don’t. Write an S next to the item below that
is an example of situational irony, a V next to the item that is an example of verbal irony,
and a D next to the item that is an example of dramatic irony.

______ Mike never studies for tests, and his teacher is always telling him to work
harder. One evening, Mike decides to change his ways, and studies very hard for
the next day’s test. However, when he comes to class, he finds that the teacher has
canceled the test to give everyone a break.

______ The narrator of a story has revealed that the main character will soon die. A
few pages later, the main character says, “I feel invincible, like I could live forever.”

______ When no one in English class is able to answer a question about the assigned reading,
the teacher grins and says, “Well, it’s nice to know that everyone was paying attention.”

Reading Strategy Analyze Tone

Tone refers to a writer’s attitude toward a subject. It is conveyed through word choice,
sentence structure, and figures of speech. When you read literature, think about the
tone that characters use as they speak. For example, do they sound angry? hopeful?
confused? You can also hear a tone in the narrator’s voice. For example, the narrator may
be laughing at, judging, or surprised by the actions of the characters. Write the tone, or
attitude that would come through in your voice, in each of the following situations.

Situation Tone Situation Tone

talking to a scared child praying for a good
outcome for a best
friend’s operation
urging your favorite talking with a parent
team on to victory at a about a problem you
playoff match caused

Vocabulary Context Clues

You can use context clues to find a word’s meaning. Look at the
Vocabulary
following lines from the selection: “It’s of three rioters I have to tell/
Who, long before the morning service bell,/Were sitting in a tavern adversary (adʼ vər serʼ ē) n. opponent; enemy
for a drink.” Context clues in this sentence help tell you that rioters prudent (proodʼ ənt) adj. cautious; careful
are, at minimum, drinkers—and not just any drinkers, but ones who
show up before the tavern has even opened. As you read, look for gratify (gratʼ ə fı̄ʼ) v. to satisfy; indulge
context clues for the vocabulary words that you encounter.
deftly (deftʼ lē) adj. skillfully; nimbly

from The Pardoner’s Tale 21

 from The
Reading Strategy
Analyze Tone This story is set
in a time when a plague, or
widespread disease, was killing
many people in England. When a
coffin passes by, the conversation
turns to Death. Note that the
characters refer to death with a
capital d, as if it were a powerful
person. Reread the serving boy’s
answer to the question of whose
dead body is going by. With the
above information in mind, decide
what his tone is.
a. delighted and enthusiastic
b. worried and anxious
c. matter-of-fact and objective
Would you talk about a dead body
passing by in the same tone of voice?
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22
Pardoner’s Tale
It’s of three rioters° I have to tell
Who, long before the morning service bell,°
Were sitting in a tavern for a drink.
And as they sat, they heard the hand-bell clink
5 Before a coffin going to the grave;°
One of them called the little tavern-knave°
And said “Go and find out at once—look spry!—
Whose corpse is in that coffin passing by;
And see you get the name correctly too.”
10 “Sir,” said the boy, “no need, I promise you;
Two hours before you came here I was told.
He was a friend of yours in days of old,
And suddenly, last night, the man was slain,
Upon his bench, face up, dead drunk again.
15 There came a privy° thief, they call him Death,
Who kills us all round here, and in a breath
He speared him through the heart, he never stirred.
And then Death went his way without a word.
He’s killed a thousand in the present plague,°
20 And, sir, it doesn’t do to be too vague
If you should meet him; you had best be wary.
Be on your guard with such an adversary,
Be primed to meet him everywhere you go,
That’s what my mother said. It’s all I know.”
25 The publican° joined in with, “By St. Mary,
What the child says is right; you’d best be wary,
This very year he killed, in a large village
A mile away, man, woman, serf at tillage,°
 from The Pardoner’s Tale

Vocabulary
adversary (adʼ vər serʼ ē) n.
opponent; enemy

1 rioters: people given to unrestrained revelry and debauchery. Vocabulary Skill

2 long before . . . bell: long before 9 ..
Context Clues Look at the way
4–5 hand-bell . . . grave: During this time, a bell was rung next to the coffin in a adversary is used in context.
funeral procession. Underline the context clues that
6 tavern-knave: serving boy. help you determine its meaning.

15 privy: secretive.

19 killed . . . plague: In 1348 and 1349 at least a third of the population of England
perished from the plague called the Black Death.

Read and Discuss

With a partner, take turns

25 publican: a tavernkeeper or innkeeper. rereading what the serving
boy and the publican say
about Death. Then fill out this
28 tillage: plowing. organizer with story details
about Death.

Who

Where

When

What

How

from The Pardoner’s Tale 23

 from The Pardoner’s Tale
Literary Element
Irony What is ironic, or opposite
of expectations, about a decision
to kill Death? Write your answer on
the lines below.
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Read and Discuss
With a partner, reread lines
51–73. Then summarize what
happens when the rioters
meet the old man. Write your
summary on the lines below.
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How do you feel about the
rioters in this meeting? How do
you feel about the old man?
Discuss these questions with
your partner.
24
Page in the household, children—all there were.
30 Yes, I imagine that he lives round there.
It’s well to be prepared in these alarms,
He might do you dishonor.” “Huh, God’s arms!”
The rioter said, “Is he so fierce to meet?
I’ll search for him, by Jesus, street by street.
35 God’s blessed bones! I’ll register a vow!
Here, chaps! The three of us together now,
Hold up your hands, like me, and we’ll be brothers
In this affair, and each defend the others,
And we will kill this traitor Death, I say!
40 Away with him as he has made away
With all our friends. God’s dignity! Tonight!”
They made their bargain, swore with appetite,
These three, to live and die for one another
As brother-born might swear to his born brother.
45 And up they started in their drunken rage
And made towards this village which the page
And publican had spoken of before.
Many and grisly were the oaths they swore,
Tearing Christ’s blessed body to a shred;°
50 “If we can only catch him, Death is dead!”
When they had gone not fully half a mile,
Just as they were about to cross a stile,°
They came upon a very poor old man
Who humbly greeted them and thus began,
55 “God look to you, my lords, and give you quiet!”
To which the proudest of these men of riot
Gave back the answer, “What, old fool? Give place!
Why are you all wrapped up except your face?
Why live so long? Isn’t it time to die?”
60 The old, old fellow looked him in the eye
And said, “Because I never yet have found,
Though I have walked to India, searching round
Village and city on my pilgrimage,
One who would change his youth to have my age.
65 And so my age is mine and must be still
Upon me, for such time as God may will.
“Not even Death, alas, will take my life;
So, like a wretched prisoner at strife
Within himself, I walk alone and wait
70 About the earth, which is my mother’s gate,°
Knock-knocking with my staff from night to noon
And crying, ‘Mother, open to me soon!
Look at me, mother, won’t you let me in?
 from The Pardoner’s Tale

49 Tearing . . . shred: Their swearing included such expressions as “God’s arms”

(line 32) and “God’s blessed bones” (line 35).

52 stile: a stairway used to climb over a wall or fence.

Reading Strategy
Analyze Tone Read the
70 mother’s gate: the entrance to the grave. highlighted lines. Underline the
words and phrases that help you
hear how sad, frustrated, and
desperate the old man is.

from The Pardoner’s Tale 25

 from The Pardoner’s Tale
Literary Element
Irony What is ironic about a
person who wishes to die but
cannot die? Write your answer on
the lines below.
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Reading Strategy
Analyze Tone Reread the
highlighted lines. How does the
old man’s tone change here? To
decide, first recall his tone earlier.
Then write your answer on the
lines below.
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26
See how I wither, flesh and blood and skin!
75 Alas! When will these bones be laid to rest?
Mother, I would exchange—for that were best—
The wardrobe in my chamber, standing there
So long, for yours! Aye, for a shirt of hair°
To wrap me in!’ She has refused her grace,
80 Whence comes the pallor of my withered face.
“But it dishonored you when you began
To speak so roughly, sir, to an old man,
Unless he had injured you in word or deed.
It says in holy writ, as you may read,
85 ‘Thou shalt rise up before the hoary° head
And honor it.’ And therefore be it said
‘Do no more harm to an old man than you,
Being now young, would have another do
When you are old’—if you should live till then.
90 And so may God be with you, gentlemen,
For I must go whither I have to go.”
“By God,” the gambler said, “you shan’t do so,
You don’t get off so easy, by St. John!
I heard you mention, just a moment gone,
95 A certain traitor Death who singles out
And kills the fine young fellows hereabout.
And you’re his spy, by God! You wait a bit.
Say where he is or you shall pay for it,
By God and by the Holy Sacrament!
100 I say you’ve joined together by consent
To kill us younger folk, you thieving swine!”
“Well, sirs,” he said, “if it be your design
To find out Death, turn up this crooked way
Towards that grove, I left him there today
105 Under a tree, and there you’ll find him waiting.
He isn’t one to hide for all your prating.
You see that oak? He won’t be far to find.
And God protect you that redeemed mankind,
Aye, and amend° you!” Thus that ancient man.
110 At once the three young rioters began
To run, and reached the tree, and there they found
A pile of golden florins on the ground,
New-coined, eight bushels of them as they thought.
No longer was it Death those fellows sought,
115 For they were all so thrilled to see the sight,
The florins were so beautiful and bright,
That down they sat beside the precious pile.
The wickedest spoke first after a while.
 from The Pardoner’s Tale

78 shirt of hair: usually a rough shirt worn as self-punishment; here, a shroud

85 hoary: white with age.

Literary Element
Irony Situational irony occurs
when the rioters find the gold.
Why is finding gold ironic?

109 amend: improve.

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from The Pardoner’s Tale 27

 from The Pardoner’s Tale
Literary Element
Irony Do you think the rioter is
interpreting the presence of the
treasure correctly? Or do you think
the reason for finding the treasure
might be the opposite of what the
rioter thinks? Explain your answer
on the lines below.
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28
“Brothers,” he said, “you listen to what I say.
120 I’m pretty sharp although I joke away.
It’s clear that Fortune° has bestowed this treasure
To let us live in jollity and pleasure.
Light come, light go! We’ll spend it as we ought.
God’s precious dignity! Who would have thought
125 This morning was to be our lucky day?
“If one could only get the gold away,
Back to my house, or else to yours, perhaps—
For as you know, the gold is ours, chaps—
We’d all be at the top of fortune, hey?
130 But certainly it can’t be done by day.
People would call us robbers—a strong gang,
So our own property would make us hang.
No, we must bring this treasure back by night
Some prudent way, and keep it out of sight.
135 And so as a solution I propose
We draw for lots and see the way it goes;
The one who draws the longest, lucky man,
Shall run to town as quickly as he can
To fetch us bread and wine—but keep things dark°—
140 While two remain in hiding here to mark
Our heap of treasure. If there’s no delay,
When night comes down we’ll carry it away,
All three of us, wherever we have planned.”
READING CHECK
Predict
Do you think the rioters will find Death? What clues help you
make your prediction? Write your answer on the lines below.
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 from The Pardoner’s Tale

121 Fortune: fate.

Vocabulary
prudent (proodʼ ənt) adj.
cautious; careful

Vocabulary Skill
Context Clues Which of the
139 keep things dark: act in secret; don’t give us away. following phrases from the
selection are context clues for the
meaning of prudent? Check all that
apply.
■ our own property
■ make us hang
■ by night
■ keep it out of sight
■ run to town

from The Pardoner’s Tale 29

 from The Pardoner’s Tale
Literary Element
Irony Why is the talk of friendship
in lines 150–157 ironic? Write your
answer on the lines below.
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Vocabulary
gratify (gratʼ ə fı̄ʼ) v. to satisfy;
indulge
Vocabulary Skill
Context Clues Circle the letter of
the phrase that gives an example
of the way in which the two rioters
will gratify their lusts.
a. dicing at our own sweet will
b. to slay/The third and youngest
c. Divided equally of course
30
He gathered lots and hid them in his hand
145 Bidding them draw for where the luck should fall.
It fell upon the youngest of them all,
And off he ran at once towards the town.
As soon as he had gone the first sat down
And thus began a parley° with the other:
150 “You know that you can trust me as a brother;
Now let me tell you where your profit lies;
You know our friend has gone to get supplies
And here’s a lot of gold that is to be
Divided equally amongst us three.
155 Nevertheless, if I could shape things thus
So that we shared it out—the two of us—
Wouldn’t you take it as a friendly act?”
“But how?” the other said. “He knows the fact
That all the gold was left with me and you;
160 What can we tell him? What are we to do?”
“Is it a bargain,” said the first, “or no?
For I can tell you in a word or so
What’s to be done to bring the thing about.”
“Trust me,” the other said, “you needn’t doubt
165 My word. I won’t betray you, I’ll be true.”
“Well,” said his friend, “you see that we are two,
And two are twice as powerful as one.
Now look; when he comes back, get up in fun
To have a wrestle; then, as you attack,
170 I’ll up and put my dagger through his back
While you and he are struggling, as in game;
Then draw your dagger too and do the same.
Then all this money will be ours to spend,
Divided equally of course, dear friend.
175 Then we can gratify our lusts and fill
The day with dicing at our own sweet will.”
Thus these two miscreants° agreed to slay
The third and youngest, as you heard me say.
The youngest, as he ran towards the town,
180 Kept turning over, rolling up and down
Within his heart the beauty of those bright
New florins, saying, “Lord, to think I might
Have all that treasure to myself alone!
Could there be anyone beneath the throne
185 Of God so happy as I then should be?”
 from The Pardoner’s Tale

149 parley (pärʼ lē): a discussion, as with an enemy.

Read and Discuss

Think back to the idea of greed.

177 miscreants (misʼ krē ənts): evildoers, villains.
Recall that for the storyteller
and the medieval audience,
greed was considered a
sin. With a partner, find the
youngest rioter’s references to
Lord and God. Discuss why they
are ironic. That is, think about
how mixing up references to
God with pleasure in thoughts
of murder and greed would be
ironic to a medieval audience.

from The Pardoner’s Tale 31

 from The Pardoner’s Tale
Reading Strategy
Analyze Tone On this page, the
narrator begins to comment on the
action. Check the statement that
best describes the narrator’s tone.
■ The tone becomes more
excited than before and
expresses the thrill of greed.
■ The tone becomes angry and
suggests God’s punishment for
the sin of greed.
■ The tone becomes
philosophical, or matter-of-
fact and objective, about the
problem of greed.
Read and Discuss
The rioter has gone to buy
poison. He says he is going
to kill vermin, or small,
undesirable pests. What does
he really plan to kill? Write your
answer on the lines below.
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With a partner, discuss why it
is ironic that the rioter says he
is going to kill “vermin.” Then
discuss why it is ironic that he
says this is “only right.”
32
And so the Fiend, our common enemy,
Was given power to put it in his thought
That there was always poison to be bought,
And that with poison he could kill his friends.
190 To men in such a state the Devil sends
Thoughts of this kind, and has a full permission
To lure them on to sorrow and perdition;°
For this young man was utterly content
To kill them both and never to repent.
195 And on he ran, he had no thought to tarry,
Came to the town, found an apothecary
And said, “Sell me some poison if you will,
I have a lot of rats I want to kill
And there’s a polecat too about my yard
200 That takes my chickens and it hits me hard;
But I’ll get even, as is only right,
With vermin that destroy a man by night.”
The chemist answered, “I’ve a preparation
Which you shall have, and by my soul’s salvation
205 If any living creature eat or drink
A mouthful, ere he has the time to think,
Though he took less than makes a grain of wheat,
You’ll see him fall down dying at your feet;
Yes, die he must, and in so short a while
210 You’d hardly have the time to walk a mile,
The poison is so strong, you understand.”
This cursed fellow grabbed into his hand
The box of poison and away he ran
Into a neighboring street, and found a man
215 Who lent him three large bottles. He withdrew
And deftly poured the poison into two.
He kept the third one clean, as well he might,
For his own drink, meaning to work all night
Stacking the gold and carrying it away.
220 And when this rioter, this devil’s clay,
Had filled his bottles up with wine, all three,
Back to rejoin his comrades sauntered he.
 from The Pardoner’s Tale

192 perdition: damnation.

Vocabulary
deftly (deftʼ lē) adv. skillfully;
nimbly

from The Pardoner’s Tale 33

 from The Pardoner’s Tale
225
Literary Element
Irony Think about what happens
to the speaker. Then tell why the
highlighted lines are ironic. Write
230
your answer on the lines below.
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235
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34
Why make a sermon of it? Why waste breath?
Exactly in the way they’d planned his death
They fell on him and slew him, two to one.
Then said the first of them when this was done,
“Now for a drink. Sit down and let’s be merry,
For later on there’ll be the corpse to bury.”
And, as it happened, reaching for a sup,
He took a bottle of poison up
And drank; and his companion, nothing loth,°
Drank from it also, and they perished both.
There is, in Avicenna’s long relation°
Concerning poison and its operation,
Trust me, no ghastlier section to transcend
What these two wretches suffered at their end.
Thus these two murderers received their due,
So did the treacherous young poisoner too.
READING CHECK
Summarize
What happens after the rioters find the gold? Summarize the
main events on the lines below.
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 from The Pardoner’s Tale

231 nothing loth: very willingly.

233 Avicenna’s (avʼ ə senʼ əz) long relation: a medieval book on medicine by the
Arab physician Avicenna (980–1037), which contains a chapter on poisons.

Reading Strategy
Analyze Tone Reread the text
on page 34. Underline words or
phrases that you think show the
narrator’s attitude toward what
happened.

Now think about whether you

would use the same tone to wrap
up a story like this one. Explain
why or why not on the lines below.

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from The Pardoner’s Tale 35

After You Read
from The Pardoner’s Tale
Connect to the Poem
Look back at the statements you checked about greed and money on page 20.
Decide how two of those statements apply to “The Pardoner’s Tale.” Explain how
they apply on the lines below.

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Literary Element Irony

You saw many examples of irony in “The Pardoner’s Tale.” Now complete these
sentences about irony in the poem.

1. Reread the old man’s speech in lines 102–109. The old man’s warning that the character of Death is waiting for

the rioters beneath the oak tree is ironic because ___________________________________________________ .

2. Recall that the Pardoner is a greedy man who makes a personal profit from forgiving sins. The fact that the

Pardoner tells this story is ironic because __________________________________________________________ .

3. Recall that one rioter says that the person who draws the longest straw will be the “lucky man.” This is an

example of verbal irony because __________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ .

Reading Strategy Analyze Tone

Match each quotation from the poem with the word that names its tone. You may
want to refer back to the selection text to recall the context of the quotations.

Quotation Tone
1. The old man says to three rioters, “God look to you, my lords, a. detached
and give you quiet!” (line 55) _________
b. sorrowful
2. One rioter says to the old man, “Say where [Death] is or you
c. urgent
shall pay for it. . . !” (lines 98–99) _________

d. humble
3. At the end of the story, the narrator asks, “Why make a
sermon of it? Why waste breath?” (line 223) _________ e. amused

36
After You Read
from The Pardoner’s Tale
Vocabulary
A. Word Meaning Follow the directions for each group of words or phrases. The
vocabulary words from the selection are in bold. Use a dictionary or thesaurus
if you need help.
1. Write the following words in order from friendliest to least friendly.
adversary, friend, acquaintance

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2. Write the following words in order from most careful to least careful.
prudent, irresponsible, thoughtful

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3. Write the following words in order from most satisfying to least satisfying.
gratify, fill, suffice

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4. Write the following words in order from most skillful to least skillful.
deftly, competently, clumsily

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B. Context Clues Underline the context clues in the following sentences that
help you determine the meaning of each boldfaced vocabulary word. Then
explain your choices.
1. The tennis pro proved to be a more difficult adversary than the people I
usually play against.
Explanation: ______________________________________________________________________________

2. Because she was a prudent driver, she regularly checked her mirrors.
Explanation: ______________________________________________________________________________

3. I’m sure the birthday party that I’m planning for my sister will gratify her,
because I’m buying all her favorite foods and playing her favorite music.
Explanation: ______________________________________________________________________________

4. It was amazing to watch the woman make lace: her fingers moved
so deftly.
Explanation: ______________________________________________________________________________

from The Pardoner’s Tale 37

After You Read
from The Pardoner’s Tale
Irony Chart
Much of the irony in “The Pardoner’s Tale” becomes clear after you finish reading
the whole tale. Explain why each detail below is ironic.

Detail Why It Is Ironic

The tavern boy warns the rioters to be ready to
meet Death everywhere they go. (line 23)

The rioters think of themselves as “brothers / in

this affair.” (lines 37–38)

The rioters ask the old man, “Isn’t it time to die?”

(line 59)

The wickedest rioter says, “I’m pretty sharp

although I joke away.” (line 120)

One rioter calls dividing the treasure into two

parts, rather than three parts, a “friendly act.”
(line 157)

The two rioters drink the wine because they want

to “be merry.” (line 227)

38