A pardoner is a layman who sells indulgences, certificates from the pope, and most importantly pardons. Being members of the Church, pardoners and other members of the clergy are normally viewed with respect. However, the Pardoner in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer was portrayed as a very sinful and scornful creature indeed, with physical features suggesting that he is a eunuch and with a strong implication of sexual deviancy and homosexuality. In the text, this sinful man admits to contradicting much of his preaching. On the whole, the Pardoner can be considered a greedy and cunning swindler who preaches against the sins of avarice, lying, and lechery, yet practices all of these actions.

In the Pardoner's prologue, he states that he always preaches the same sermon. "My theme is always the same, and ever was-- / 'Radix malorum est cupiditas'" (6-7). This Latin proverb can be translated to...