Read the excerpt from The Canterbury Tales. "Gentlemen” said he, "I take pains to preach In churches with a lofty, resonant voice, Regular as a bell I ring it out, For everything I say I have by heart: My text’s the same one as it always was . . .” Which statement best describes how the Pardoner is characterized in this passage? He is an intellectual who is inspired by academics. He is a confident, suave performer. He is a heartless, vindictive leader. He is a caring counselor who is devoted to service.

boccaccio employs the voice of his narrator dioneo to represent his ideas on the tension between masculinity and femininity.  while dioneo excites the members of the brigata and recognizes women for their unique skills and independent ideas, he concludes the decameron with a story reminiscent of the society from which these young aristocrats escaped, revealing misogynistic overtones.  dioneo boccaccio is able to explore the gender disparity which is inherent in 14th century florentine society.

the answer is "the man who came here yesterday was selling magazines."