<span>Chaucer uses satire in The Canterbury Tales to show the faults of institutions of the time, commonly focusing on their stereotypes. He hits hard on the corruption that happened within the Catholic church, and through satire he exposes all these issues to his audience.</span>
Chaucer uses satire in his characterization of the Pardoner to criticize the Church. The Pardoner's sermon against greed humorously contrasts with his exaggerated greediness. Chaucer creates such an excessively greedy character to draw attention to real corruption in the Church and to bring about change.
