How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #1
"O ''Melia, my dear, this does everything crown!
Who could have supposed I should meet you in Town? (1-2)
This innocent little passage is actually quite clever. The word "crown" makes us think of royalty, and by extension things that are special, different, and "higher." The word foreshadows the class distinctions that are developed throughout the poem.
Quote #2
-"At home in the barton you said 'thee' and 'thou,'
And 'thik oon' and 'theäs oon' and 't'other'; but now
Your talking quite fits 'ee for high compan-ny!"- (9-11)
Language is a great indicator of one's social class. The poor, laboring folk speak a much less formal dialect, while people like 'Melia speak the exact opposite. We can't help thinking that 'Melia doesn't quite belong with that "high compan-ny" she now keeps.
Quote #3
"Some polish is gained with one's ruin," said she. (12)
"Polish" is a word frequently used in discussions of class. It implies that people like 'Melia are nice, clean, and elegant, while people like the other woman are rough and dirty. Near the end of the poem, 'Melia will make this point much more explicitly.