How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Line). We used the line numbering found on Librarius's online edition.
Quote #1
This parish clerk, this joly Absolon
Hath in his herte swich a love-longinge,
That of no wyf ne took he noon offringe;
For curteisye, he seyde, he wolde noon.
(245-248)
In contrast to Nicholas, who gets an urge to "rage and pleye" with Alisoun (170), the story actually uses "love-longinge" to describe what Absolon feels for Alisoun. This raises the question of how the clerks' feelings for Alisoun differ. (Or do they?)
Quote #2
For some folk wol ben wonnen for richesse,
And som for strokes, and som for gentillesse.
(278-279)
With this, we have a neat summary of the three methods Alisoun's lovers employ. Alisoun has presumably married John because he can offer her security – the "richesse" of which these lines speak. Nicholas wins Alisoun with a physically aggressive approach akin to "strokes," whereas Absolon prefers the "gentillesse," or noble method, of constant romantic overtures.
Quote #3
Ful sooth is this proverbe, it is no lye,
Men seyn right thus, 'Alwey the nye slye
Maketh the ferre leve to be looth.'
For though that Absolon be wood or wrooth,
By cause that he fer was from hir sighte,
This nye Nicholas stood in his lighte.
(288-293)
This suggestion that the person closest to the object of desire is always the one who obtains it suggests that love is more often a matter of convenience than fate or true affinity. It's yet one more cynical statement about love in a tale that tends to reduce love to sexual desire.
Quote #4
This carpenter answerde, 'Allas, my wyf!
And shal she drenche? allas, myn Alisoun!'
For sorwe of this he fil almost adoun,
And seyde, 'Is ther no remedie in this cas?'
(419-422)
Stricken by the thought of Alisoun dying, John proves himself to be perhaps the only character in the tale who truly loves her.
Quote #5
This sely carpenter biginneth quake;
Him thinketh verraily that he may see
Noes flood come walwing as the see
To drenchen Alisoun, his hony dere.
He wepeth, weyleth, maketh sory chere.
(511-515)
John's agony over the image of Alisoun drowning spurs him to obtain and provision the three tubs. As it does in the previous citation, the thought of Alisoun drowning has a strong physical effect on John, causing him to weep and wail.
Quote #6
To Alisoun now wol I tellen al
My love-longing, for yet I shal nat misse
That at the leste wey I shal hire kisse.
(575-577)
Absolon raises the question here of whether his real goal is love or just physical gratification. He is pretending to suffer from "love-longing" just so Alisoun will kiss him.
Quote #7
Under his tonge a trewe-love he beer,
For therby wende he to ben gracious.
(589-590)
A "trewe-love" is the leaf of a plant that was thought to bring good fortune in love. It's typical of Absolon to pull out all the stops in his courtship.
Quote #8
Wel litel thenken ye upon my wo,
That for youre love I swete ther I go.
(598-599)
It's a common tactic for a lover in a medieval romance to claim that he is physically ill from his beloved's refusal to grant him a cure for his suffering. In employing it here, Absolon aligns himself with those heroes.
Quote #9
No wonder is thogh that I swelte and swete,
I moorne as doth a lamb after the tete.
Y-wis lemman, I have swich love-longinge,
That lyk a turtel trewe is my moorninge.
(600-603)
Absolon's comparison of himself to animals is interesting given the story's tendency to compare Alisoun to them, too. Those prior animal comparisons, which parodied the traditional way heroines were described, make it difficult for us to take these seriously.
Quote #10
'Go fro the window, Jakke fool,' she sayde,
'As help me God, it wol nat be 'com pa me.'
I love another, and elles I were to blame,
Wel bet than thee, by Jesu, Absolon!
(605-608)
The irony in Alisoun's statement here is that she is saying what she ought to as a married woman, but out of loyalty not to her husband but to her lover.
Quote #11
'Allas,' quod Absolon, 'and weylawey,
That trewe love was evere so yvel biset!
Thanne kisse me, sin it may be no bet,
For Jesus love and for the love of me.'
(611-614)
Absolon's implication that a kiss is an acceptable substitute for Alisoun's love is yet another indication that, in the logic of the tale, all talk of love is really just talk of sex.
Quote #12
'Allas!' quod he, 'allas, I ne hadde y-bleynt!'
His hote love was cold and all y-queynt;
For fro that tyme that he had kiste hir ers,
Of paramours he sette nat a kers,
For he was heeled of his maladye
Ful ofte paramours he gan deffye,
And weep as doth a child that is y-bete.
(650-656)
It's somewhat strange that Absolon's humiliation at Alisoun's hands should turn him off not just to her, but to all future lovers. This renouncement suggests that the "maladye" of which Absolon was healed was not love of Alisoun, but love in general.