Study Guide

The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue & Frame Story The Pardoner's Introduction

By Geoffrey Chaucer

The Pardoner's Introduction

The Host, very much moved by the injustice described in the Physician's tale, draws a moral from it: that the gifts of Fortune and Nature cause many creatures to die, and often do more harm than good.
The Host tells the Physician his tale is very sad, and asks God's blessing upon the Physician and all his instruments.
The Host says that, unless he gets a piece of cake or some beer, or hears a merry tale, his heart will break for sadness.
The Host asks the Pardoner to tell a tale of happiness or jokes.
The Pardoner agrees, but says that first he will stop at a tavern by the roadside to eat cake and drink beer.
The nobles in the company, afraid that the Pardoner's ingestion of alcohol will cause him to tell an R-rated tale, object and ask the Pardoner to speak about virtue and not sex.
The Pardoner agrees, but says he must consider such a tale while he drinks.