Suggestions
Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select.Please wait while we process your payment
If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Sometimes it can end up there.
If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Sometimes it can end up there.
Please wait while we process your payment
By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy.
Don’t have an account? Subscribe now
Create Your Account
Sign up for your FREE 7-day trial
Already have an account? Log in
Your Email
Choose Your Plan
Individual
Group Discount
Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan!
Purchasing SparkNotes PLUS for a group?
Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more!
Price
$24.99 $18.74 /subscription + tax
Subtotal $37.48 + tax
Save 25% on 2-49 accounts
Save 30% on 50-99 accounts
Want 100 or more? Contact us for a customized plan.
Your Plan
Payment Details
Payment Summary
SparkNotes Plus
You'll be billed after your free trial ends.
7-Day Free Trial
Not Applicable
Renews December 15, 2023 December 8, 2023
Discounts (applied to next billing)
DUE NOW
US $0.00
SNPLUSROCKS20 | 20% Discount
This is not a valid promo code.
Discount Code (one code per order)
SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan - Group Discount
Qty: 00
SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Free trial is available to new customers only.
Choose Your Plan
For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more!
You’ve successfully purchased a group discount. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. You'll also receive an email with the link.
Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership.
Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Continue to start your free trial.
Please wait while we process your payment
Your PLUS subscription has expired
Please wait while we process your payment
Please wait while we process your payment
Ther as this lord was kepere of the celle, The reule of seint Maure or of seint Beneit, By cause that it was old and somdel streit This ilke Monk leet olde thynges pace, And heeld after the newe world the space. Heyaf nat of that text a pulled hen, That seith that hunters ben nat hooly men[.]
In the Prologue, the Narrator tells of a corrupt Monk who, despite playing the role of loyal keeper of the cell, willingly lets the rules of his order slip. Readers then learn that this monk, instead of reading holy texts in his cell all day as he should, sneaks out and hunts for pleasure—an act most disobedient for a man of his position. Such a tale presents but one example of the corruption of the Church and its supposedly devout members. The Narrator presents such information without revealing too much opinion, as he assumes readers will note the hypocrisy and corruption on their own.
He wolde suffer for a quart of wyn A good felawe to have his concubyn A twelf month, and excuse hym ate fulle; Ful prively a fyncheek koude he pulle.
Many of the text’s major themes are introduced in the Prologue. In these lines, the Narrator reveals yet another detail highlighting the theme of corruption: The Summoner would loan his girlfriend for a year to any “good felawe” in exchange for a quart of wine. In addition, readers learn that the Summoner feels such an exchange wouldn’t cause him any real loss for he can easily find another woman to take her place. This detail also highlights how women were generally viewed at the time.
And thus, with feyned flaterye and japes, He made the person and the peple his apes. But trewely to tellen ate laste, He was in chirche a noble ecclesiaste. Wel koude he rede a lessoun or a storie, But alderbest he song an offertorie; For wel he wiste, whan that song was songe, He moste preche and wel affile his tonge To wynne silver, as he ful wel koude; Therefore he song the murierly and loude.
Details highlighting the theme of corruption abound in the Prologue. Here, the Narrator reveals telling details about the Pardoner, perhaps the most corrupt character in the group. Here, readers learn that the Pardoner uses false flattery to manipulate and make a fool of the local priest and congregation. In addition, the Pardoner uses his pleasing voice for profit. He tells stories and sings songs in church not to celebrate and rejoice in the glory of god, but for silver. The Pardoner deceives, manipulates, and lies in exchange for power and profit every chance he can.
Now, goodemen, God foryeve yow youre trespass, And ware yow fro the synne of avarice! Myn hooly pardoun may yow alle warice, So that ye offer nobles or sterlynges, Or ells silver broches, spoones, rynges. Boweth youre heed under this hooly bulle!
The Pardoner in the Pardoner’s Tale has just finished decrying the sins of gluttony, drinking, gambling, and lechery and then claims that all these sins can be forgiven, by him, for a price. He is also known to take advantage of believers by selling them fake relics. On the surface, the Pardoner’s Tale teaches that sin has no reward, but his true purpose appears to be only to instill fear in his followers in order to extract money from them. In his prologue, the Pardoner freely admits to using that money to indulge in every sin he condemned in his tale.
Please wait while we process your payment