Who the Pardoner is
The Pardoner travels with the company of pilgrims on the road to Canterbury. He sells pardons, pieces of cloth and bones that he claims are holy relics. Before telling his story, he admits to the company that these relics are fake.
What the Pardoner wants
The Pardoner cares about profit and uses preaching against greed as a way to earn money. He presents his dishonesty with pride, as though describing a skill worth admiring. His openness lets the listeners see the selfish purpose behind his religious authority.
The Pardoner and the others in the story
The Pardoner's relationship with his listeners rests on the contrast between persuasive preaching and confessed fraud. His tale follows three young men in Flanders who set out to hunt a thief called Death. The story carries a warning against greed, even though its teller admits that money drives him.
This contrast makes the Pardoner a revealing figure in the pilgrims' storytelling contest. His moral can be true without making him an honest guide to it.
Questions
Who is the Pardoner?
The Pardoner is a pilgrim who sells pardons and supposed holy relics while travelling to Canterbury.
What does the Pardoner want?
He wants money, and he admits that earning it matters more to him than the moral lessons he preaches.
Is the Pardoner honest?
He cheats his customers with fake relics, but openly confesses his fraud to the other pilgrims. His frankness about his conduct does not make his trade honest.
