Pardoners_Tale_Essay_Geoffrey_Chaucer

One major transformation that takes place between the two texts is the setting, the pardoners tale doesn’t mention much of the setting other then the mention of Flanders in the first line, so the tale derives much of its richness from its setting in t5he wider context of the pilgrimage, which is the group of pilgrims from all ranks and classes travelling together to a shrine in Canterbury. The lack of setting allows Chaucer to better detail the social and religious evils of late 14th century England, such as the hypocritical pardoner, he preaches about the evils of avarice but he himself is guilty of this sin as he uses pardoning as an excuse to get money off people to satisfy his own greed and avarice, a quote from the text that reinforces this argument is quoted by the pardoner himself “to be avaunced by ypocrisy” this quote shows the pardoner admitting to be a hypocrite and a phony. Whilst the film a simple plan is set in an unnamed, isolated rural town in modern America. The film opens with snowy landscapes and this remains the main background throughout the movie. The setting gives universality to the town and shows the audience that something like this can happen anywhere to anyone, the setting allows the audience to focus on the actual characters as opposed to a fancy background. There is also the recurring motifs of crows and a fox this signifies death and the killings that are about to take place, the setting also highlights the moral decay of the characters and gives the audience a sense that no matter how long hank lives for he will forever be stuck in winter. A quote to reinforce hanks moral decay is quoted as he speaks in past tense after everything has already happened “my father once told me what it takes for a man to be happy, simple things wife he loves, decent job and friends and neighbours who respect him, “i was a happy man” this quote shows hanks regrets towards finding the money and for all the bad decisions he made. Another major transformation that takes place between the two texts is how each views sinning. The pardoners tale takes a theological approach as the tale deals with the seven deadly sins most notably the sin of avarice which leads the three riotours to their deaths, the tale speaks of the belief people have that they must attain gods forgiveness in order to achieve eternal life and about the changeless human condition, which is sinning, this will always remain the same as it is human nature to sin. A quote from the text that reinforces the theological approach taken in the pardoners tale is “ lordynges, quod he, in chirches when I preache I peyne me to han an hauteyn speak” in this quote the pardoner speaks about the sermons he gives in the church, so it highlights the theological aspect in the pardoners tale. Whilst in a simple plan a humanistic approach is taken and the film is concerned with the consequences we must face in this life for our bad decisions. The film highlights the destruction of the characters soul as opposed to their eternal soul like in the pardoner’s tale. As quoted by hanks wife Sarah “we don’t need the money its against the law” this quote shows that the characters are only concerned with the consequences they must face in their current lives such as going to jail. The major transformation that takes place between the two texts is the way they each portray the three riotours. In the pardoners tale the three rioutours are undeveloped characters who can only be differentiated by their social characteristics as the yongeste, proudeste and worste. Chaucer’s tries to show that even the most heroic of men can fall to avarice. The three rioutours embody the ideas and values of the average man in the deeply religious 14th century England. A quote from the text that shows the three rioutours behaviours is “why livestow so longe in so greet an age” this quote highlights the disrespectful behaviours of the three riotours towards the old man. Whilst the three riotours in a simple plan are developed characters with names instead of characteristics, the ideas and values of the characters change greatly as the film goes on. The main character hank starts off as being morally superior to the other two riotours, as he has a job, wife and baby on the way, but by the end of the film he is in worse shape then the other two even though they have died. A quote from the film that reinforces hanks high moral is “ you work for the American dream you don’t steal it” this quote shows hanks moral superiority compared to the other two riotours who don’t even have jobs and desperately need the money. This quote shows that even the most noble of men can be corrupted by avarice because even though hank was superior to the other two he ended up being the most shattered and broken on the inside, as his soul has been complety destroyed.