SUMMONER/ PARDONER

Mae Pearl Vinson Jamika Shivers Samantha Cooney Vanessa Camara

2nd Period

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THESUMMONER

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In apostolic courts in the Middle Ages, one officer had the responsibility of finding and arresting accused individuals and bringing

them to a judge. The Summoner, also known as an apparatus, performed this job. The most famous Summoner in literature

was a character in "The Canterbury Tales“

Duties

In some situations, the summoner arrested the accused and, if

applicable, seized the disputed property to present to the court.

This essentially gave him the power of a sheriff or constable of the

region.

ResponsibilityTo make the summoner appear intimidating and imply that he

was a sinner, Chaucer's character had lumps and boils on

his face and body, an assumed punishment for unsavory

behavior. His character also had breath that reeked of garlic and

alcohol.

Attributes

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His fiery red pimpled cherubic face is the direct

result of his sinful and lecherous activities.

His delight in eating garlic, onions and leek and his

fondness for wine further aggravates his physical

condition.

Appears extremely repulsive with suppurating blotches

on his cheeks, black scabby eyebrows and scanty beard.

CHAUCER’S VIEW OF THE SUMMONER

Physical Appearance

Personality DescriptionThis corrupt Summoner extorts protection money

from every gullible sinner by threatening them of excommunication

Allows many sinners to bribe him because of his own guilt

of being a sinner.

His own demeanor makes people think “What is the

law?”

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•Chaucer depicts the pardoner as a crooked man.•“He wore no hood upon his head, for fun; / The hood inside his wallet had been stowed”•“He had bulging eyeballs”•“He’d sewed a holy relic on his cap”•“And (well he could) win silver from the crowd. / That’s why he sang so merrily and loud.”

CHAUCER’S VIEW OF THE PARDONER

Chaucer believes the pardoner is an evil and corrupt man. He is meant to be a man of God, but ironically is the exact opposite.

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According to The Norton Anthology of English Literature, a pardoner’s role in society was to pardon sins in return for money which was given to his charitable institution. David Kirkham and Professor Helen Phillips state that “these works of mercy were thought of as worthy, and (as is still the case today) morally and spiritually beneficial to the giver, as well as those who were helped. Pardoners used to be questers. They

were also monks and priests, who were actually licensed to pardon sins unlike other pardoners. Some pardoners were fraudulent and kept the money gained through pardoning sins.

What Are the Duties of a Pardoner?

Who is a Pardoner?

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Chaucer, Geoffrey. “ The Prologue”. The Canterbury Tales. Wilhelm,

Jeffrey. Literature Texas Treasures: British Literature. Columbus, OH: Glencoe/ McGraw-Hill, 2011, Print.

Kirkham, David, and Helen Phillips. "The Role of a Pardoner." n.pag. Ref-It. Web. 24 Sep 2013. <http://www.crossref-it.info/textguide/The-Pardoner>.

Munteanu, Nina. The Last Summoner: a novel. Louisville, KY: Starfire

World Syndicate, 2012, Print.

TheBestNotes.com Staff. "TheBestNotes on The Canterbury Tales".

TheBestNotes.com. 23 September 2013. 11 May 2008

<http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/Canterbury_Tales/Canterbury_Tales39.html>.

WORD CITED

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Munteanu, Nina. The last Summoner: a novel. Lousiville, KY: Starfire World Syndicate, 2012, Print.

Chaucer, Geoffrey. “ The Prologue”. The Canterbury Tales. Wilhelm, Jeffrey. Literature Texas Treasures: British Literature. Columbus,

OH: Glencoe/ McGraw-Hill, 2011, Print.

TheBestNotes.com Staff. "TheBestNotes on The Canterbury Tales".

TheBestNotes.com. 23 September 2013. 11 May 2008

<http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/Canterbury_Tales/Canterbury_T

ales39.html>.

WORD CITED