from The Canterbury Tales,
"The Pardoner's Tale"
In "The Pardoner's Tale," what is ironic about the rioters' discovery of gold in the place where they were looking for Death?
(1 point)
They do not realize that
• the gold actually belongs to Death.
It makes them realize
• that Death is not an actual person.
They realize that they prefer Death to gold.
Their greed over the
• gold leads to their actual deaths.
The correct answer is:
Their greed over the gold leads to their actual deaths.
In "The Pardoner's Tale," it is ironic that the rioters discover gold in the place where they were looking for Death. The irony lies in the fact that they do not realize that the gold actually belongs to Death. This irony is intensified by the fact that the rioters were seeking Death, and instead, they find an abundance of material wealth. It is also ironic because the discovery of gold makes them realize that Death is not an actual person but rather an abstract concept. Furthermore, the irony is evident as the rioters come to the realization that they prefer Death to the allure of material riches. Ultimately, their greed over the gold leads to their own deaths.
The irony in the rioters' discovery of gold in "The Pardoner's Tale" is that they were searching for Death, yet they find riches instead. This irony lies in a few elements of the story:
1. The rioters do not realize that the gold actually belongs to Death: As they are searching for Death to take vengeance on him, they stumble upon a pile of gold. It is ironic because they are seeking Death, but they find something associated with wealth and life instead.
2. It makes them realize that Death is not an actual person: The discovery of the gold makes the rioters recognize that Death is not a physical being they can confront or fight against. Instead, it reveals Death's ability to use the allure of riches to tempt and destroy people.
3. They realize that they prefer Death to gold: Initially, the rioters intend to find and kill Death. However, their discovery of gold leads them to forget about their original objective. Their greed for the newfound wealth overshadows their pursuit of Death, demonstrating that they value material possessions more than confronting the concept of mortality.
4. Their greed over the gold leads to their actual deaths: Ultimately, their obsession with the gold and their reluctance to share it with each other ultimately leads to conflict and their demise. Here, the irony lies in the fact that their pursuit of wealth and their desire for personal gain ends up causing their literal deaths, which they were initially seeking to bestow upon Death.