Comparative: Greed and Corruption in "The Pardoners Tale" and "A Simple Plan"
Both Geoffrey Chaucer in “The Pardoners Tale” and Sam Raimi in the film “A Simple Plan” composed moral tales exploring the concept of greed and corruption. Both composers suggest that a person’s good morals can be easily corrupted by the power of greed; both composers explore the fatal consequences of greed and corruption which affirms the importance of a morally sound society. However, Chaucer, composing in a medieval context communicates that greed and corruption may be fostered by a lack of material comfort or wealth suggesting that moral standing comes from deep, religious foundation while Raimi composing within a contemporary timeframe, conveys when physical conditions are inadequate, the temptation to be greedy is increased, this saying that moral code formed in a secular society where the boundaries can shift according to the situation. The study of both the differences and the similarities between these texts is essential in achieving an understanding of these issues explored.
Despite their different mediums both composers emphasise that greed challenges virtues such as loyalty, respect and trust , both composers examine the human condition where we struggle with moral issues. Chaucer’s fourteenth century poem “The Pardoners Tale” is influenced by the Pardoner’s role within the church and the abuse that is prevalent challenges the hypocrisy of individuals within the church community. This is evident in the skilful use of irony in lines 916 to 1918, “And Jesus Christ, that is our soul’s physician. So grant you to receive his pardon for that is best; I will not deceive you”. This highlights that Chaucer positions the responder to experience opposing feeling towards the pardoner, the irony is more evident in the fact that while the pardoner appears to be fully aware that he is a scoundrel, the doom from which he is saving others also over hangs him, yet he is not considering it to be his fate, in this point the pardoner has a moment of truth where he
Despite their different mediums both composers emphasise that greed challenges virtues such as loyalty, respect and trust , both composers examine the human condition where we struggle with moral issues. Chaucer’s fourteenth century poem “The Pardoners Tale” is influenced by the Pardoner’s role within the church and the abuse that is prevalent challenges the hypocrisy of individuals within the church community. This is evident in the skilful use of irony in lines 916 to 1918, “And Jesus Christ, that is our soul’s physician. So grant you to receive his pardon for that is best; I will not deceive you”. This highlights that Chaucer positions the responder to experience opposing feeling towards the pardoner, the irony is more evident in the fact that while the pardoner appears to be fully aware that he is a scoundrel, the doom from which he is saving others also over hangs him, yet he is not considering it to be his fate, in this point the pardoner has a moment of truth where he