15 January 2022 jonathan Peel SGS 2012 Mediaeval
- Slides: 12
15 January 2022 jonathan Peel SGS 2012
§ Mediaeval representations of Bible plays § Toured the country and served to educate the illiterate masses § Performed in the Vernacular, not Church Latin § Simple representations of Bible stories or moral tales § Allegorical characters jonathan Peel SGS 2012
§ Using characters to represent abstract concepts § In these plays usually represent SINS § One character will represent a GOOD MAN § The play will show the battle for his soul § Good will win in the end. jonathan Peel SGS 2012
§ Sermon as mystery? § Characters seem allegorical § Old MAN as Death? NOTE THAT HE IS GOOD… § What SINS are presented? § Who is the allegory? Chaucer’s Pardoner or his characters? jonathan Peel SGS 2012
§ § § Pardoner Vocal delivery Skill at tricking poor Sexual prowess Ability to earn money Ability to turn people from sin ( not his true intention) jonathan Peel SGS 2012
§ Pardoner § “I prece of nothyng but for coveityse” § “Radix malorum est cupiditas” § Deceives people simply to earn money § Riotoures § Forget quest to focus on money § Kill to get more money jonathan Peel SGS 2012
§ Pardoner § Openly drinks in quantity § States that his wealth will buy him the “liccour of the vyne” and a luxurious life § Riotoures § Death caused by drinking – wine bottles full of poison § Drunk at start of tale jonathan Peel SGS 2012
§ Pardoner § At end of tale he is abused by the Host and “answerde not a word; /So wrooth he was”. § Riotoures § Anger at Death starts the whole story. jonathan Peel SGS 2012
§ Pardoner § Lust for money drives him on (Avarice) § Lust for women is also evident in his tales of sexual prowess § Riotoures § Lust for money drives them to death § Women § In the sermon women are associated with Lust when they work with the “Develes officeres … to kyndle and blow the fyr of lecherye” (190 ff) jonathan Peel SGS 2012
§ A lazy man, the Pardoner refuses to work with his hands, but prefers to make his living through talk and cheating. He is hugely successful. jonathan Peel SGS 2012
§ Envy is a bit hard to justify… (no reason not to try though) § A double allegory then… § The Pardoner embodies the sins and is a message to the reader, just as his story is a message to the “audience” due to the allegorical nature of the Riotoures. jonathan Peel SGS 2012
§ § § The old man? The Pot Boy? Chaucer? The reader? The Knight? § You must decide where these characters stand how they are used! jonathan Peel SGS 2012
