English Test: the Pardoner’s Tale – Flashcards
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What is Chaucer's main reason for writing about the pilgrimage in the Prologue?
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to create a setting for telling stories by different characters
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Use the strategy for analyzing difficult sentences to analyze the following lines from the Prologue. What was the purpose of the trip? It happened in that season that one day / In Southwark, at The Tabard, as I lay / Ready to go on pilgrimage and start / For Canterbury, most devout at heart, / At night there came into that hostelry / Some nine and twenty in a company / Of sundry folk happening then to fall / In fellowship, and they were pilgrims all / That towards Canterbury meant to ride.
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to go on a pilgrimage
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What is Chaucer's primary theme in the Prologue?
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the great variety of human nature
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According to the Prologue, how many tales will each pilgrim tell on the journey?
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two going there and two coming back
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Which of these quotations from the Prologue is an example of direct characterization?
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"He was an honest worker, good and true...."
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Where are the pilgrims going in the Prologue?
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to the cathedral in Canterbury
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What does the narrator mean in saying these lines from the Prologue? But first I beg of you, in courtesy, / Not to condemn me as unmannerly / If I speak plainly and with no concealings / And give account of all their words and dealings.
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Please do not blame me if I tell you the truth about what they said and did.
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Whom do the pilgrims accept as their leader in the Prologue?
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the Host
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What does the narrator mean in the Prologue when he says the following about the Friar? But anywhere a profit might accrue / Courteous he was and lowly of service too.
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The Friar helps people when he can make money doing it.
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What can you infer from these words of the Pardoner in "The Pardoner's Tale"? For my exclusive purpose is to win / And not at all to castigate their sin. / Once dead what matter how their souls may fare? / They can go blackberrying, for all I care!
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He wants his parishioners to give him plenty of their money.
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What is the allegory that the Pardoner teaches in "The Pardoner's Tale"?
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Greed is the root of all evil.
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Which words best describe the three rioters in "The Pardoner's Tale"?
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greedy and rough
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Reread these lines that are spoken by the old man in "The Pardoner's Tale." What does he mean? About the earth, which is my mother's gate, / Knock-knocking with my staff from night to noon / And crying, 'Mother, open to me soon! / Look at me, mother, won't you let me in?'
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He wants to die.
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Why does the old man send the three rioters to the tree in "The Pardoner's Tale"?
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so the three rioters will not kill him
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What is one characteristic of an allegory that is found in "The Pardoner's Tale"?
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the use of characters to stand for ideas
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In "The Pardoner's Tale," what do the two rioters decide to do after they have sent their friend for food and wine?
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to kill their friend when he returns
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What does the young rioter decide while on his way into town for food and wine in "The Pardoner's Tale"?
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to poison his friends
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Who is the old man in "The Pardoner's Tale"?
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Death
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In "The Pardoner's Tale," which character or characters does the Pardoner most closely resemble?
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the three rioters
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Which character trait leads to the downfall of the three rioters in "The Pardoner's Tale"?
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greed
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What does the word reprove mean in these lines from "The Wife of Bath's Tale"? Some say the things we most desire are these: Freedom to do exactly as we please, With no one to reprove our faults and lies, Rather to have one call us good and wise.
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scold
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What is the main setting of the story about the knight in "The Wife of Bath's Tale"?
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England in the time of King Arthur
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According to "The Wife of Bath's Tale," in the story of Midas, his wife tells her secret to the water. What is the point of this story?
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Women cannot keep secrets to themselves
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In "The Wife of Bath's Tale," the knight decides to return to the queen and meet his fate even before he meets the old woman. Why?
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He gave his word he would return.
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According to "The Wife of Bath's Tale," why does the knight agree to marry the old woman?
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She promises him that she knows the secret to what all women want.
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In "The Wife of Bath's Tale," the old woman insists the knight marry her as her reward. What does the word misalliance mean in his reply? 'My love?' said he. 'By Heaven, my damnation! / Alas that any of my race and station / Should ever make so foul a misalliance!' / Yet in the end his pleading and defiance / All went for nothing, he was forced to wed.
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a bad marriage
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According to "The Wife of Bath's Tale," near the end of the story, the knight correctly answers the queen's question. Why does the old woman suddenly leap up and claim her reward in front of the queen?
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The knight will not be able back out on his promise.
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In "The Wife of Bath's Tale," after the knight and the old woman are married, the old woman gives him two choices. What are they?
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He can have an old, faithful wife or a young wife who is unfaithful.
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What is the moral of "The Wife of Bath's Tale"?
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It is best for husbands and wives when women rule the marriage.
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What word means almost the same as sanguine? decorated untruthful cheerful respectful
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cheerful
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Which word or phrase is most nearly the same in meaning as avouches?
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asserts positively
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The ____ sold the young rioter a strong poison that he mixed with wine. a. pallor b. tarry c. prating d. apothecary
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apothecary
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Which word has the same meaning as tarry? a. hesitate b. hurry c. refuse d. chatter
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hurry
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The word most nearly opposite in meaning to hoary is ____.
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young
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Which vocabulary word best completes this sentence? The knight ____ every woman he met to tell him what women most desired.
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implored
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Which sentence incorrectly uses the italicized vocabulary word?
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The successful knight showed great misalliance in battle.
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Which vocabulary word best completes this sentence? The knight ____ the old woman to tell him how he could save his life.
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implored
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Which of these vocabulary words is incorrectly used?
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The knight rebuked his wife for her help and relied on her judgment in all things.
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Chaucer describes the Pardoner's hair as "rat-tails" primarily to
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imply moral corruption.
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Which of the following is not an example of direct characterization?
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"Children were afraid when he appeared."
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By positioning his description of the Miller almost immediately after that of the Plowman, Chaucer accentuates
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the virtues of the Plowman as well as the buffoonishness and criminality of the Miller.
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When "The Pardoner's Tale" opens, what has caused Death to stalk the land?
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an outbreak of plague
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What is ironic about the pledge the rioters make in these lines of "The Pardoner's Tale"? They made their bargain, swore with appetite. / These three, to live and die for one another / As brother-born might swear to his born brother.
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They later plot to kill one another to get a larger share of the gold.
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In "The Pardoner's Tale," how do the rioters treat the old man when they first meet him?
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with contempt
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In "The Pardoner's Tale" the three rioters are sure that they can destroy Death, and yet they fail to see that they are falling into his trap. This is an example of ____.
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irony
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What becomes clearer when rereading the following passage from "The Pardoner's Tale"? ... if it be your design / To find out Death, turn up this crooked way / Towards that grove. I left him there today / Under a tree, and there you'll find him waiting.
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The man is directing the three rioters toward their own deaths.
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What is the Wife of Bath's opinion of holy friars, according to "The Wife of Bath's Tale"?
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They are a danger to women.
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Why does the queen ask the king not to kill the knight in "The Wife of Bath's Tale"?
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She thinks justice will be better served if he learns a lesson.
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According to "The Wife of Bath's Tale," why does the queen give the knight a chance to save his life?
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She thinks it is more important to teach him a lesson than to kill him.
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What question does the queen ask the knight in "The Wife of Bath's Tale"?
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What do all women desire above everything?
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In "The Wife of Bath's Tale," what does the knight do after hearing the queen's question and leaving her presence?
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He searches all over and asks every woman he finds for the answer.
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Based on the context of "The Wife of Bath's Tale," what is the meaning of the word extort in these lines? 'I will concede you this: you are to go / A twelvemonth and a day to seek and learn / Sufficient answer, then you shall return. / I shall take gages from you to extort / Surrender of your body to the court.'
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to obtain by threat
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Based on the context of this sentence from "The Wife of Bath's Tale," what is the meaning of the word anguish? Great was the anguish churning in his head / When he and she were piloted to bed; / He wallowed back and forth in desperate style. / His ancient wife lay smiling all the while ...
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torment
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Based on the context, what is the meaning of the word churl in this sentence from "The Wife of Bath's Tale"? You are no gentleman, though duke or earl. / Vice and bad manners are what make a churl.
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a rude and mean person
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In "The Pardoner's Tale," the Pardoner says that he uses this story of the three rioters to get his congregation to give him their money. In an essay, explain how this process works. Why do his parishioners give him money? How does this story help the Pardoner achieve his goal? Use information from "The Pardoner's Tale" to help you in your response.
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Students should include that the Pardoner's job is to preach to his congregation about sin and to get them to ask for a pardon. The Pardoner can offer parishioners a pardon, which means their sins are forgiven, but he only offers the pardon if they pay him a fee. By teaching a lesson about how the love of money is the root of all evil, he reminds his listeners about the evil things they have done for money. To get forgiveness, they pay him their ill-gotten money to receive a pardon.
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56. What is the moral message that the allegory of "The Pardoner's Tale" coveys? In a brief essay, state the moral message of the tale. Then use information from "The Pardoner's Tale" to show how several details work together to help build the message.
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Students should recognize that the message is "Love of money is the root of all evil" and that the three rioters die because they greedily try to kill one another to get a larger share of gold. Students may explore the symbolic meanings of characters like Death and may recognize that the rioters themselves represent not merely greed but also disloyalty and treachery.
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In "The Prologue" of The Canterbury Tales, the narrator gives some background about the Wife of Bath. He describes her as follows: "She'd had five husbands, all at the church door, / Apart from other company in youth; / No need just now to speak of that, forsooth." In an essay, explain how his description is consistent with the story she tells in "The Wife of Bath's Tale." Do you think the theme is one she would have a strong opinion about? Why? Give reasons and examples from the text to support your ideas.
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The tale told by the Wife of Bath is consistent with the background given about her in the Prologue. She is a wife with lots of experience with marriage and husbands, as well as with other men during her youth. She has the experience to talk about what women really want out of a marriage and how they are treated by men. She certainly would have a strong opinion about the relationship between husbands and wives.
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Based on "The Wife of Bath's Tale," is the Wife of Bath a modern women? How well would she fit in twenty-first century America? Do her views of the role of women in society match those of most women today? How would today's men regard her views? In an essay, explore these questions. Give at least two examples from "The Wife of Bath's Tale" to support your opinions.
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Most students will agree that the Wife of Bath shares some of the convictions of twenty-first century women but may not have quite the same views. According to her story, what women want most is to rule their husbands. In return, she implies that women should be willing to do anything to satisfy their husbands. Many modern women might say they do not want to control their husbands but to have equality with them. They might also argue that they prefer having their husband's respect rather than trying to satisfy their husbands' every wish. Men, of course, would generally object to allowing themselves to be ruled by their wives, but they would also appreciate having beautiful and faithful wives who were willing to do anything to make them happy.
