Theme Of Morality In The Canterbury Tales

When Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales, there is no doubt that he had certain morals in mind. The moral lessons or “truths” conveyed in “The Wife of Bath’s Tale and Prologue” and “The Pardoner’s Tale and Prologue” are a prime example of such. Chaucer composed the Canterbury tales to portray the diverse lives and issues of all who are derived from different cross-sections in Medieval society. In “The Wife of Bath’s Tale and Prologue” and “The Pardoner’s Tale and Prologue”, Chaucer utilized satire, allegories, and instructive moral in hopes of inciting a change in Medieval society.
Chaucer composed “The Pardoner’s Tale and Prologue” to demonstrate corruption. As Pardoner states “Therfor my theme is yet, and ever was— “Radix malorum est cupiditas”

The Medieval Church was extremely wealthy and powerful during its reign. The Church was so powerful that many people feared lived in fear that the Church could excommunicate anyone who they saw as nonconformist. In order to avoid excommunication, worshipers would attempt to purchase their salvation. As the Pardoner states “Now, good men, God forgive you your trespass, and keep you from the Sin of avarice! Mine holy pardons will save you, if you do give me gold or silver, or else brooches, spoons or rings” (Chaucer, 321). In this quote, the pardoner is revealing the corrupt and greedy ways of the Medieval

The Wife of Bath, Alisoun, begins her prologue by mentioning her many experiences with marriage since age twelve. “Experience, though noon auctoritee Were in this world, were right ynough to me To speke of wo that is in mariage” (Chaucer, 282). Alisoun exclaims that all the experiences she has obtained through five marriages have made her an expert on marriage and sex, giving her authority on the matter. The Wife of Bath communicated that her marital success was because of her uses of manipulation and control she acquired over her mates: “I governed hem so wel, after my lawe, That ech of hem ful blisful was and fawe, To brynge me gaye thynges fro the fayre. They were ful glad whan I spak to hem faire, For, God it woot, I chidde hem spitously” (Chaucer, 283). Alisoun praises the Lord for blessing her with five marriages; she loves being married and does not wish to be widowed long after her fifth husband dies. “Blessed be God that I have wedded fyve! Welcome the sixte, whan that ever he shal. For sothe, I wol nat kepe me chast in al; Whan myn housbond is fro the world y-gon, Som Cristen man shal wedde me anon; For thanne thapostle seith, that I am free” (Chaucer, 283). Alisoun also further explains that she wishes that she does not have to abstain from sex for long after her fifth husband