The Pardoner and False Seeming

Today's two readings were a very interesting pairing. Like last week's supplementary readings to the Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale, the Romance of the Rose revealed the sources from which Chaucer drew inspiration while writing the Pardoner's Prologue and Tale. Unsurprisingly, they are remarkably similar: the Pardoner's Prologue completely mirrors False Seeming's speech to love. They both begin with strangely honest introductions, admitting all of their sins and trickery without an ounce of shame (the Pardoner says twice, "I preche nothing but for coveitise" [433]); they both reference the same Christian belief in "living by laboring with his own hands, his own body" rather than begging (De Lorris 11319); neither have any qualms about robbing the "povereste widwe in a village, / Al sholde hir children sterve for famine" (Chaucer 450-1). There were so few differences between their speeches-- in fact, the only marked difference I noticed was their audience. Whereas at the end of the Pardoner's Tale, the Host immediately curses his deceitful ways and throws various lewd insults at him without care as to any response the Pardoner might have had, the reaction of Love to False Seeming is rather different. Love, despite all that False Seeming has just revealed about himself, still feels the need to ask, "'...will you keep your agreement with me?'" (11985). Of course, False Seeming swears yes and promises the utmost loyalty. Love is not quite so naive as to accept that answer and asks, "'How! It is against your nature'" (11989), but ultimately ends up believing False Seeming's persuasive rhetoric and believing him. Perhaps this is a sly way of reinforcing the old saying, Love is blind?