In The Canterbury Tales, the author, Geoffrey Chaucer, gives the characters multi-dimensional qualities. Chaucer creates a sense of complexity, or giving the characters two or more different traits, when physically describing each character in the general prologue. When the characters tell their tales, again, Chaucer shows complexity. Chaucer also demonstrates intricacy when the characters tell their philosophy of life, mainly in the prologues before the tales.

Throughout the general prologue, Chaucer describes each character's personal traits and features. Chaucer mentions that the Pardoner considers himself to ride very fashionably and states the Pardoner has a goat-like voice. Continually, Chaucer mocks the Pardoner for his disrespectful manipulation of the poor for his own material gain. In return for selling papal indulgences, the church and most churchgoers despise the Pardoner for counterfeiting pardons and pocketing the money. Here is where Chaucer gives the Pardoner a multi-dimensional quality for the Pardoner...