In Chaucer’s excerpt from The Canterberry Tales, The Pardoner’s Tale, contains many examples of irony. The examples of irony included in the story verbal irony and situational irony. The characters in this story can be befooling and sneaky resulting in them deceiving the other characters in the story.
One of the examples of irony use is when the youngest of the rioters had spoken to the apothecary about how he wished to kill some rats. This example displays the use of verbal irony. The reader would assume that the “rats” are literally dirty little rodents but that was not the case. Those “rats” were actually his partners that are in the woods. The two partners of his are wanting the gold. This example is of verbal irony because there are words used that are not what they appear to be stating.
Another use of irony is when the rioter speaks of being a loyal friend to his partners. This example is another example of verbal irony because the rioter is being a hypocrite. He talks all about how they need to be loyal friends yet he is secretly planning to kill the youngest partner. This is verbal irony because the rioter is saying something all the while going completely against what he is speaking of. The reader would assume that the rioter is a good fellow considering he was speaking such knowledge of being a loyal friend yet he is just the opposite due to his cruel intentions.
The overall irony of the story is situational. It is situational because the reader would assume someone would end up with the gold but they all died in the end. If everyone wants the goods then no one will end up with them! They all were secretly wanting it all for themselves and planning on harming others to get to it. So in the end no one survived to even be rewarded with such treasure.
The lesson learned from the story is that no one benefits from the deep wanting of something only for oneself. Being greedy is going really low in society. Good people should wish to give more rather than take all. Greed only results in loss and disappointment.
