Retribution In The Canterbury Tales

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Retribution is essential to a balanced humanity, acting as an offset for immoral deeds. Although retribution remains a necessary part of existence, it can be circumvented through penance, as exemplified in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. Upon entering the process of penance, the sinner must take the initial step and feel repentance for their immoral actions. However, without contrition, avoidance of punishment can only be achieved through a display cunning maneuvering, which then acts as redemption. Validated by the Miller's, Pardoner's, and Friar's Tales, retribution is administered to all sinners devoid of contrition, unless he possesses an unparalleled canniness. In "The Pardoner's Tale", three drunkards portrayed as obtuse simpletons, ultimately decline penance through their lack of contrition, and thus receive a deathly consequence. Inebriated, "they started in their drunken rage/ Many and grisly were the oaths they swore,/ Tearing Christ's blessed body to a shred;/ 'If we can only catch him, Death is dead!'" (Chaucer 251). Their blasphemy towards Christ further diminishes the characters while their sense of logic is mocked - for the slaying of Death is impossible. Evident in their actions and declarations, the drunkards lack the mental acuity required to prevent them from retribution. Additionally, in their search for Death, they fail to recognize gold as the surrogate, and thus bypasses the offer of penance. Choosing to continue with their immoral subterfuges instead of apportioning the gold, they proceed closer towards retribution. Furthermore, when the youngest drunkard receives another chance at penance, he declines the offer once again. "To men in such a state the Devil sends/ Thoughts of this kind, and has full permission/ To lure them on to sorrow and perdition;/ For this young man was utterly content/ To kill them both and

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