Canturbury Tales: Situational Irony in the Pardoner’s Story

Situational Irony in The Pardoner’s Story In The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer the Pardoner’s activities of contemptibility and ravenousness are prime instances of situational incongruity. Situational incongruity is when a person or thing does something contrary to what is normal. ‘In church he was an honorable ecclesiast’ (Chaucer 141) The Pardoner is evidently a righteous man, yet he doesn't act like it. He is impolite and even deceptive. Nonetheless, he puts on a show of being equitable by recounting to scriptural stories and lecturing. By being tricky and avaricious the Pardoner is the ideal case of situational incongruity. To start, the Pardoner shows situational incongruity by being deceptive. He takes from the congregation continually. ‘†¦with others I have influence to win them from it, I can carry them to repent†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Chaucer 151) Basically, he goes about as a sales rep by convincing individuals to purchase more exculpates, and afterward saves the cash for himself. He utilizes his ability of thinking and reacting quickly and concocting incredible scriptural stories to win cash, ‘A country person mind adores accounts of old, being the caring it can rehash and hold†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Chaucer 152) He persuades individuals the things they have done are more awful than they are, along these lines they are conned into giving him more cash, which he saves for himself. As unexpected for what it's worth to see the Pardoner be exploitative, it is significantly increasingly amusing how insatiable is. Like referenced before he makes his living off of selling pardons, even exculpates against greed, yet he is ravenous himself. He concedes he’ll follow anybody for cash. ‘I intend to have money†¦though it were given to me by the most unfortunate lad†¦ ’ (Chaucer 152) He confesses to lecturing simply because he needs cash saying, ‘A job. I don't lecture in vain†¦I intend to have money†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Chaucer 152) It is likewise extremely obvious that the Pardoner is insatiable enough to take from the assortment bins in chapel, ‘But best of all he sang an Offertory†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Chaucer 141) This infers he takes the cash from that point also. Taking everything into account, the Pardoner in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is a living case of situational incongruity. He is deceptive and voracious. Rather than carrying out his responsibilities to the congregation and helping other people with sins, he exploits peoples’ blame and pockets the cash. He couldn't care less about the congregation and even admits disliking work, ‘†¦Let me lecture and ask from kirk to kirk and never work admirably of work†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Chaucer 152) This equitable summarizes the situational incongruity of the Pardoner. He has all the earmarks of being a righteous man helping individuals clear there sins, yet unexpectedly he is exploitative and eager.