Frame Stories Study Guide: The Pardoner's Tale and Federigo's Falcon

Vocabulary terms, literary devices, and key textual definitions from the study guide on Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Pardoner's Tale' and Giovanni Boccaccio's 'Federigo's Falcon'.

Frame story

A story in which many stories are "framed" inside a larger story.

Irony

An occurrence that is contrary to what is intended or expected.

Situational irony

A literary device where what happens is the opposite of what the characters or audience would expect.

Dramatic irony

A situation where the audience or reader knows something that a character does not.

Verbal irony

Saying one thing while meaning another.

Moral tale

A story that teaches a lesson about right and wrong, in which evil characters usually come to a bad end.

Avarice

Greed; love of money.

Heroic couplet

Two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme.

Personification

Giving human qualities to a non-human thing.

Plot

All the actions and events in a story, driven by a conflict.

Courtly love

Idealized, devoted love, often directed toward a married woman.

Pilgrimage

A journey or search of moral or spiritual significance, usually to a shrine or place important to a person's faith, or a metaphorical journey into one's own beliefs.

Radix malorum est cupiditas

A Latin biblical phrase meaning "the love of money is the root of all evil," which the Pardoner consistently uses as his sermon text.

Indulgence

A church-licensed document forgiving people's sins, often sold for money by unethical pardoners.

Adversary

An enemy or opponent.

Castigate

To punish or criticize severely.

Covetousness

A strong desire for what belongs to others.

Pallor

Paleness.

Parley

A discussion or conference.

Saunter

To walk in a slow, leisurely way.

Transcend

To go beyond; surpass.

Vermin

Pests or harmful animals.

Wary

Cautious; on one's guard.

Anguish

Agony.

Commend

To express approval of; praise.

Compel

To force or drive.

Deign

To consider worthy of one's dignity; condescend.

Discretion

Good judgment.

Legitimate

Born of parents who are legally married to each other.

Meagerly

In a scanty or inadequate way.

Oblige

To do a favor for.

Presumption

Boldness; taking too much for granted.

Reproach

To express disapproval or disappointment in.