Pardoner's Tale and The Wife of Bath's Tale Review
1 What is the Pardoner’s main objective in telling his story?
2 What is the allegorical theme/message that the Pardoner teaches in “The Pardoner's Tale”?
3 How would you describe the three rioters in “The Pardoner's Tale”?
4 What does the old man in “The Pardoner's Tale” wish for?
5 Where does the old man send the three rioters in “The Pardoner's Tale”?
6 What is one characteristic of an allegory that is found in “The Pardoner's Tale”?
7 In “The Pardoner's Tale,” what do the two rioters decide to do after they have sent their friend for food and wine?
8 What does the young rioter decide while on his way into town for food and wine in “The Pardoner's Tale”?
9 Who is the old man in “The Pardoner's Tale”?
10 Does the Pardoner share his secret with the other pilgrims?
11 Which character trait leads to the downfall of the three rioters in “The Pardoner's Tale”?
12 When “The Pardoner's Tale” opens, what has caused Death to stalk the land?
13 What is ironic about the three rioters attempting to kill one another?
14 On the symbolic level of the allegory of “The Pardoner's Tale,” how are the three men symbolizing greed and treachery?
15 In “The Pardoner's Tale,” how do the rioters treat the old man when they first meet him?
16 How does the old man lead the three rioters to Death?
17 For what reason does the Pardoner usually tell “The Pardoner's Tale”?
18 According to “The Wife of Bath's Tale,” why was the knight condemned to die?
19 What is the main setting of the story about the knight in “The Wife of Bath's Tale”?
20 According to “The Wife of Bath's Tale,” in the story of Midas, what does the Wife admit is one of women’s faults?
21 Why is the knight returning to the queen even before he meets the old woman and comes to know the answer to the riddle?
22 Why does the knight agree to marry the old woman?
23 After 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?
24 After the knight and the old woman are married, the old woman gives him two choices. What are they?
25 In the final scene of the story in “The Wife of Bath's Tale,” how does the ugly old woman reward the knight for his submission to her pleasure?
26 What is the message of “The Wife of Bath's Tale”?
27 What is the Wife of Bath's purpose in telling about the disappearance of the elves?
28 Why does the queen give the knight a chance to save his life?
29 What does the knight do after hearing the queen's question and leaving her presence?
30 In “The Wife of Bath's Tale,” while the knight is returning to the castle, he sees young maidens dancing in the woods. When he rides up, he finds only the old woman.
What can you infer about the woman from these events?