Theme Of Greed In The Pardoner's Tale

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The three men in “The Pardoner’s Tale” in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales find some gold coins at an oak tree while looking for death. Those gold coins will play a big part in the rest of the tale. The little gold coins play the role of “Death.” The seven deadly sins lead to death. “Death” in this tale is represented by: greed and gluttony.

First, “Death” is represented by greed. The rioters go looking for death, but run upon the gold coins. One of the rioters say, “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.” (p.128-129 l.121-123 Chaucer) Greed distracted the men from their original task, the tale says, “No longer was it Death those
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