How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #1
"Oure Emperour of Rome, God hym see,
A doghter hat that, syn the world bigan,
To rekene as wel hir goodnesse as beautee,
Nas nevere swich another as is shee." (156-159)
The people of Rome describe Custance as the most beautiful and good woman who has ever been born. This sets her up as the standard for female excellence in the Tale. By paying close attention to her traits, we can learn what the people consider a good (and, by extension, a bad) woman.
Quote #2
"In her is heigh beautee, withoute pride,
Yowthe, withoute grenehede or folye,
To alle hir werkes vertue is hir gyde,
Humblesse hath slayn in hir al tirranye,
She is mirour of alle curteisye,
Hir herte is verray chambre of hoolynesse,
Hir hand ministre of fredam for almesse." (162-168)
Here we have the traits that make up the paragon of female excellence in the tale: beauty, humility, virtue, courtesy, holiness, and "almesse," or generosity. Against this standard, all other women will be judged. Yeah—good luck, ladies.
Quote #3
Allas, what wonder is it though she wepte,
That shal be sent to strange nacioun
Fro freendes that so tendrely hir kepte,
And to be bounden under subjeccioun
Of oon, she knoweth nat his condicioun?
Housbondes been alle goode, and han ben yoore,
That knowen wyves! I dar sey yow namoore. (267-273)
The narrator ironically says "housbondes been alle goode." His point is that women's position in their society obligates them to accept almost any husband rather than stay single. He frames this as the common wisdom of wives, implying that many a wife is probably in an unhappy marriage whose necessity she couldn't avoid.