Saturday, February 15, 2014

In Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, how does the Pardoner's appearance reflect his inner depravity?

The Pardoner's appearance reflects his inner depravity in several ways.  He had hair "yellow as wax"  that hung "lankly" on is head, "thin and droopy" which reflected his spiritual state: "thin and droopy."  He is "disheveled" and his eyes are "shiny" and are compared to a rabbits eyes.  Again this reflects his inner state: he is like an animal, not a human.  His voice "bleated like a goat."  Sinners and those serving Satan are often compared to goats in the Bible and I believe that Chaucer is using a similar comparison to again show the Pardoner's depraved spiritual state.  Finally, he had no beard and seemed to be not a true man; but a "gelding or a mare."  This again shows his inner state. He is not a man; and has not the spirit, courage, or integrity of a man.  Chaucer uses the physical description of the pardoner to draw a picture of one with no true spiritual life and no real connection to the God he claims to serve.

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