death

Death...



In the Pardoner's Tale death first takes shape as a thief stealing a man's life. This
thief is first believed to be a man, which the trio is going to set out to look for... As they
are searching a wise man explains to them that death is waiting for them under a large tree
at the top of a hill.

Greed is then introduced in the tale. This ever growing greed is the death that is
awaiting them. Under the tree sits a great sum of gold. The three men decide to send one
man for supplies while the other two stand guard. The two guarding the gold "meet"
greed by deciding to kill the other man to receive more gold for themselves. Meanwhile,
the man that was sent for supplies "meets" greed by intoning the thought of poisoning the
other men's food--thus acquiring all of the gold. The man who was sent for supplies met
death first from the others--they met death by their food of celebration!