Every day Quote by Dorothy Dunnett
““Swirling furiously among the stairs and corridors of her exquisite home like a small and angry white bat Sybilla, Dowager Lady Culter, was not above spitting at her unfortunate son when he chose to sit down in his own great hall to take his boots off. ‘If Madge Mumblecrust comes down those stairs once again for a morsel of fowl’s liver with ginger, or pressed meats with almond-milk, I shall retire to a little wicker house in the forest and cast spells which will sink Venice into the sea for ever, and Madame Donati with it. The Church,’ said Sybilla definitely, ‘should excommunicate girls who do not replace lids on sticky jars and wash their hair every day with the best towels.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: *King Here the Seven Isles* by Dorothy Dunnett, 1975
Uses exaggerated, whimsical language to satirize aristocratic excess and petty grievances.
In simple terms: Satire of noble absurdities and overblown threats.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and mock pretentious behavior.
Themes
satire
aristocracy
absurdity
social critique
humor
Mood
witty
critical
Type
literary
humorous
When to use this quote
- family disputes
- social gatherings
- class tension
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
hyperbole
character caricature
social hierarchy
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the exaggerated threat reveal about the character’s priorities?
- How does humor expose social power dynamics?
A Different Perspective
May be confusing without context of the novel’s setting.
![“This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day [as a Fairfax Justice of the Peace] since I have been at Home. I wish I knew where to get a good one myself; for I find cold Sheets extreamly disagreeable.” quote by George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b92/george-mason-8435_bedfellows_this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young_3953.jpg)
