The Canterbury Tales: The Reeve's Tale Society and Class Quotes Page 1
Citations follow this format: (Line). We used the line numbering found on Librarius's online edition.
| Quote #1 A wyf he hadde, ycomen of noble kyn; |
The description of Symkyn's wife's "nobility" is actually somewhat mocking: as the illegitimate daughter of the town parson, she would not necessarily have been upper-class, a fact hinted at by the dowry of brass pans her father gives her in lieu of silver, jewelry, or sumptuary goods.
| Quote #2 She was yfostred in a nonnerye; |
The irony of this passage is that although Symkyn's wife was raised in a convent as were the daughters of many noblemen, the location of her upbringing is due more to her status as the illegitimate daughter of a priest, who was not supposed to have sex, let alone children, than to any sort of nobility.
| Quote #3 A ful fair sighte was it upon hem two; |
Symkyn and his wife appear to enjoy parading their financial success around town in the form of expensive clothing. His wife requires everyone to call her "dame," or lady, despite the fact that she is not really noble-born. Symkyn's family is trying to be upwardly mobile in society, a feat that's no doubt helped by the extra profits Symkyn makes by cheating his customers.
