Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue" gives the introduction of the pilgrims and their appearances, their vocations and their history. The narrator used this prologue to give a glimpse of the pilgrims to the readers.
In the General prologue of the tale, one such character is the pardoner. A pardoner is someone who is licensed to sell indulgences or relics of a religious belief. This pardoner is more of a trickster for he deceives people and works for his own gain. Thus, the use of the word "paragon" for the Pardoner is ironic in the sense that a paragon is someone or something that is regarded to be perfect or a model example of excellence. Far from this is the character of the Pardoner. It is satiric for the Pardoner is exactly quite the opposite of what a paragon is.
Thus, the use of the word "paragon" by the writer Chaucer is to show the satire in the characterization of the Pardoner.
