ENGL 3001 Key Quotes (Midterm)

“A good WIF was ther of biside BATHE,

But she was somdel deef, and that was scathe” (445–46).

The Wife of Bath

“But greet harm was it, as it thoughte me,

That on his shine a mormal hadde he” (385–86).

The Cook

 “Hir hosen weren of fin scarlet reed” (456).

The Wife of Bath

  “he loved chivalrye,

Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisye” (45–46).

The Knight

“And though that he were worthy, he was wis,

And of his port as meke as is a maide.

He nevere yet no vileinye he saide

In al his lif unto no maner wight.

He was a verray parfit gentil knight” (68–72).

The Knight

“Of fustian he wered a gipoun,

Al bismotered with his habergeoun” (75–76)

The Knight

“An outridere, that lovede venerye” (166)

The Monk

“Therefore he was a prikasour aright.

Grehoundes he hadde, as swift as fowel in flight;

Of priking and of hunting for the hare

Was al his lust; for no cost would he spare.”

  (189–92)

The Monk

“His heed was balled, that shoon as any glas,

And eek his face, as he hadde been enoint;

He was a lord full fat and in good point.

Hise eyen stepe, and rollinge in his heed,

That stemed as a forneis of leed;

His bootes souple, his hors in greet estat.

Now certainly he was a fair prelat;

He was nat pale as a forpined goost.

A fat swan loved he best of roost;

His palfrey was as broun as is a berye. (198–207)

The Monk

  “old and somdel streit,

This ilke monk leet olde thinges pace.

And held after the newe world the space.”(174–76)

“He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen”(177)

“But thilke text heeld he nat worth an oyster” (182)

The Monk

“What sholde he studye, and make himselven wood,

Upon a book in cloister alwey to poure,

As Austin bit? How shal the world be served?

Lat Austin have his swink to him reserved!” (184–87)

The Monk

“Wel koude she carye a morsel and wel kepe

That no drope ne fille upon her brest;

In curteisye was set ful muche hir lest.

Hir over-lippe wiped she so clene” (130–33)

The Nun/Prioress

“That dampned was this knight for to be deed

By cours of lawe, and sholde han lost his heed—

Paraventure, swich was the statut tho—

But that the queene and othere ladies mo

So longe preyeden the king of grace

Til he his lif him graunted in the place

And yaf him to the queene, al at her wille,

To cheese where she wolde him save or spille.”

(891–98)

The Knight (The Wife of Bath’s Tale)

“But what! He may nat doon al as him liketh.

And at the laste he chees him for to wende” (914–15).

The Knight (The Wife of Bath’s Tale)

“Toward the whiche daunce he drow ful yerne,

 In hope that som wisdom sholde he lerne” (993–94).

The Knight (The Wife of Bath’s Tale)

“Ther nas but hevinesse and muche sorwe” (1079).

The Wedding (The Wife of Bath’s Tale)

“Thow art so loothly, and so old also,

And therto comen of so lowe a kinde,

That litel wonder is thogh I walwe and winde”   (1100–1103).

The Wife (The Wife of Bath’s Tale)

“He nis nat gentil, be he duc or erl,

For vileins sinful dedes make a cherl” (1157–58).

The Knight (The Wife of Bath’s Tale)

“The ___ was a stout carl for the nones;

Ful big he was of brawn, and eek of bones” (545–46).

The Miller

“His berd as any sowe or fox was reed,

And therto brood, as though it were a spade.

Upon the cop right of his nose he hade

A werte, and theron stood a tuft of heris,

Reed as the bristles of a sowes eris” (552–56).

The Miller

“He was a jangler and a goliardeis” (560).

The Miller

“Jalous he was, and heeld hire narwe in cage,

For she was yong and wilde, and he was old

And demed hymself been lik a cokewold.

He knew nat Catoun—for his wit was rude—

That bad man sholde wedde his similitude.

Men sholde wedden after hir estaat,

For youthe and elde is often at debaat.

 But sith that he was fallen in the snare,

He moste endure, as oother folk, his care” (3224–32).

John the Carpenter (The Miller’s Tale)

“As any wezele hir body gent and smal” (3234).

Alisoun (The Miller’s Tale)

“A barmecloth as whit as morne milk” (3236).

Alisoun (The Miller’s Tale)

“She was ful moore blisful on to see

Than is the newe pere-jonette tree,

And softer than the wolle is of a wether” (3247–49).

Alisoun (The Miller’s Tale)

“But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne

As any swalwe sittinge on a berne.

Therto she koude skippe and make game,

As any kide or calf folwinge his dame.

Hir mouth was swete as bragot or the meeth,

Or hoord of apples leid in hey or heeth.

Winsinge she was, as is a joly colt,

Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt” (3257–64).

Alisoun (The Miller’s Tale)

“Wel koude he laten blood, and clippe and shave,

And maken a chartre of lond or aquitaunce.

In twenty manere koude he trippe and daunce” (3326–28).

Absolon the Clerk (The Miller’s Tale)

“Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon,

…

His rode was reed, his eyen greye as good.

With Poules window corven were his shoos,

In hoses rede he wente fetisly”  (3314, 3318–20).

Absolon the Clerk (The Miller’s Tale)

“But sooth to seyn, he was somdeel squaimous

Of farting, and of speche daungerous”

  (3337–38).

Absolon the Clerk (The Miller’s Tale)

“In Armorik, that called is Britaine,

Ther was a knight that loved and did his paine

To serve a lady in his beste wise,

And many a labour, many a gret emprise

He for his lady wroghte er she were wonne;”

  (729–733)

Arveragus the Knight (The Franklin’s Tale)