How Does Chaucer Use Irony In The Pardoner's Tale

Geoffrey Chaucer died October 25, 1400, but he still has around 2100 friends on Facebook. Chaucer is known as the father of English poetry. If it was not for him, Americans might be speaking French today. He was the first major English writer, and he was the first to write a poem in English. Chaucer also invented the use of rhyming and the use of the couplet. Geoffrey Chaucer's best known work is in The Canterbury Tales, he personifies Death and uses irony in his short story "The Pardoner's Tale."

Death is personified in "The Pardoner's Tale". Chaucer uses the personification of Death to grab the reader's interest, and make the story more exciting. For example, at the beginning of the story, three rioters are sitting in a tavern when they

They tell the tavern boy to find out who is in the casket. The tavern boy says there is no need for him to go out and see who the man is. He tells the men that it was there dear friend, and that, "." Another example occurs when The bartender chimes in and says, " ." The three men decide to set out on a hunt for Death. On the way to find Death they came across an old man on the side of the trail. They started being very harsh, rude, and mean to this old man that had done nothing to them. The old man started talking to them and during his story the gambler out of the three noticed he mentioned Death. So when the old man had finished the gambler said "You don't get off so easy by St. John! I heard you mention, just a moment gone, A certain traitor Death who singles out And kills the fine young fellows hereabout. And you're his spy, by God! You wait a bit. Say where he is or you shall pay for it, By God and by the Holy Sacrament! I

He uses different types of irony in his story "The Pardoner's Tale". For example situational irony is shown when the wickedest of the three said " Who would have thought this morning was to be our lucky day", and in fact they all three died later that day. Dramatic irony is displayed when they find the gold and come up with a plan to sneak the gold back to one of the three men's houses. They decide to draw straws and whom ever draws the shortest stick has to go into town and get food and drink. The youngest of the three rioters draws the shortest straw, so he takes off into town. On his way the youngest comes up with a plan to poison two of the three bottles of wine that he plans to purchase. So while in town he goes to an apothecary and buys the best, most fatal poison that he has. Meanwhile the two men guarding the gold have agreed on a plan to attack the youngest and kill him so that they may split the gold among themselves. When the youngest returns the two men fall on him and kill him. After they killed the youngest they decided that killing was thirsty work and chose to take a celebration drink. Unfortunately the bottle they chose to drink was poisoned so they both passed from drinking the toxic beverage. The two murderers got what they deserved and so did the youngest who planned to murder