The Parson’s Tale is a
sermon on sins and
contrition and explains several concepts. He goes into detail about
penitence, describing the steps of penitence that lead to
heaven, and further details some of these steps. He also talks about
venial and deadly sin, and then goes into the
seven deadly sins. After describing each sin and its effects, the Parson proposes remedies for each one, which basically amount to
changes in attitude and behavior.
His tale, being a sermon, is definitely
moralistic, delivering in no uncertain terms descriptions of the
consequences of each
sin he explains. It is meant to be taken to
heart, and is thus also a
serious tale, told with the purpose of
informing and convincing the listeners.
The point
the Parson tries to make is that sins such as
pride,
envy,
anger,
accidie,
avarice,
gluttony, and
lechery can lead to
dire circumstances, and so they should be avoided at all costs. He essentially says that people should not give in to such
temptations, but rather follow the way of
God through penitence and its steps of
contrition,
confession,
satisfaction,
grace, and
Love of God.
In the
Prologue, the
Parson is described as a very
devout and sincere man, and this is proven further in his tale when he lectures on the
dangers of sin and the heavenly rewards of following
God. His true concern for the
religious welfare of his flock is also evident in the fact that he proposes solutions to the problems he describes, providing a remedy after each explanation. His
piety and example to his followers is also
evinced in the Prologue to the tale, where he says, “I’ll offer virtuous matter,
moral teaching.... in reverence of
Christ” (page 504).