Question

Reread line 167-182. What is ironic about this discovery? In the pardoners tale

Answer 1

Answer:

The expected outcome of the scene was that the rioters would meet a monstrous being "Death" but instead, they found gold.

Explanation:

Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" is a collection of stories told by the traveling pilgrims to Canterbury. One of them was a pardoner who tells the story of the three rioters and their greed.

In "The Pardoner's Tale", three rioters who had done nothing except revel and drink and enjoy were told by one of their servants that his relative had been killed by Death. In drunken anger, they went in search of this person. On the way, they met an old man who told them he's been waiting for Death, and he's just left him under an oak tree. When they reached there, they found no one but instead found eight bushels of gold coins. This is ironic as the expected result will either be a beast or anything that will personify death but instead gold greeted them. Also, it is ironic as this discovery will lead to their deaths later on.

Answer 2

Answer:

It is different and ironic because the three men went expecting to find death and perhaps have a tragic ending, instead they find gold.

Explanation:

The question is not complete since it does not provide the lines of reference. Here is the information:

At once the three young rioters began

To run, and reached the tree, and there they found

A pile of golden florins on the ground,

New-coined, eight bushels of them as they thought.

No longer was it Death those fellows sought,

For they were all so thrilled to see the sight,

The florins were so beautiful and bright,

That down they sat beside the precious pile.

The wickedest spoke first after a while.

“Brothers,” he said, “you listen to what I say.

I’m pretty sharp although I joke away.

It’s clear that Fortune has bestowed this treasure

To let us live in jollity and pleasure.

Light come, light go! We’ll spend it as we ought.

God’s precious dignity! Who would have thought

This morning was to be our lucky day?

The story of "The Pardoner's Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer uses the device of irony as the event near the end are very different from the ones that had been expected through all the story, while the reader thinks that the 3 men are going to meet death, they find gold in the same location they were told to go.