What makes the Pardoner so offensive?

Answer

What makes the Pardoner so offensive? [2018, 2015] ✪✪✪  

The Pardoner in “The General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales” is one of Geoffrey Chaucer’s (1340-1400) most shocking pilgrims. He is a churchman without true faith. Chaucer uses him to show corruption in religion. His words, looks, and actions make him deeply offensive.

Fake Holy Look: The Pardoner travels with the Summoner on the road from London to Canterbury. He looks holy from the outside but is false inside. He carries fake relics and calls them sacred things to fool the people. He shows simple objects and tells lies about them to earn money. His long yellow hair, soft voice, and proud manners make him look strange and unholy. Chaucer says about him,

“This Pardoner hadde heer as yelow as wex.”

(This Pardoner had hair as yellow as wax.)

At The Tabard Inn, he sings loudly and tries to attract attention. He pretends to be a man of God, but everything about him is false. His fake religion, proud display, and cheating tricks make him hateful to both God and honest people.

Greedy: The Pardoner is not only false but greedy. He preaches loudly against sin to collect money. He earns by lying. He tells others not to be greedy, but he himself loves gold. His sermons are only a tool to cheat the poor. He sells forgiveness that he never had the power to give. Chaucer’s humour makes his greed funny at first, but then bitterly shameful.

Evil Nature without Shame: The worst thing about the Pardoner is his open pride in sin. He knows he is wicked and still laughs about it. He is proud, bold, and heartless. He has no shame for his crimes. On the holy road to Canterbury, where others seek peace, he seeks money. His falsehood and shamelessness make him the most offensive pilgrim in the whole company.

The Pardoner offends both God and man. His greed and lies kill faith. Chaucer laughs at him