--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Daphne knows, with equal ease, How to vex…" description: "\"Daphne knows, with equal ease, How to vex and how to please; But the folly of her sex Makes her sole delight to vex.\" — Jonathan Swift" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/jonathan-swift-433_anger_daphne-knows-with-equal-ease-how-to-vex_2369181.jpg" --- # Daphne knows, with equal ease, How to vex and how to… ![“Daphne knows, with equal ease, How to vex and how to please; But the folly of her sex Makes her sole delight to vex.” quote by Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/jonathan-swift-433_anger_daphne-knows-with-equal-ease-how-to-vex_2369181.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/jonathan-swift-433_anger_daphne-knows-with-equal-ease-how-to-vex_2369181.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/jonathan-swift-433_anger_daphne-knows-with-equal-ease-how-to-vex_2369181.jpg) > “Daphne knows, with equal ease, How to vex and how to please; But the folly of her sex Makes her sole delight to vex.” [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A woman can both delight and irritate, but her gender makes her prone to causing trouble. **In simple terms:** Women can be both charming and frustrating. Key Takeaway Recognize and balance the dual nature of relationships. Themes gender dynamics relationships irritation delight Mood amused reflective Type literary observational When to use this quote - romantic partnership - friendship - family dynamics Key Concepts feminine paradox social expectations Questions to Reflect On - How do you navigate mixed signals from loved ones? - Can we separate behavior from gender stereotypes? A Different Perspective It oversimplifies gender traits, ignoring individual differences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Daphne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daphne/) [Delight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delight/) [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) ## Related quotes > [What vexes me most is, that my female friends, who could bear me very well a dozen years ago, have now forsaken me, although…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/what-vexes-me-most-is-that-my-female-friends-who-could-bear-me-very/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“There are plenty of secrets I would like to know about you, Daphne.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-hodnett/there-are-plenty-of-secrets-i-would-like-to-know-about-you-daphne/) [Brenda Hodnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-hodnett/) > [We have the time now to actually find ourselves before we settle down and marry and have kids. But for someone like Daphne, her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-dynevor/we-have-the-time-now-to-actually-find-ourselves-before-we-settle-down/) [Phoebe Dynevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-dynevor/) > [“You asked me about love. I don't know about love, Daphne. I just know I don't want anything but you. I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenna-yovanoff/you-asked-me-about-love-i-don-t-know-about-love-daphne-i-just-know-i/) [Brenna Yovanoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenna-yovanoff/) > [You can't ground us. We're homeless," Daphne said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buckley/you-can-t-ground-us-we-re-homeless-daphne-said/) [Michael Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buckley/) > [“Still, I couldn't help looking at Daphne in morbid satisfaction. 'What did I tell you? Our first double date? Officially ruined.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep-killer-frost/still-i-couldn-t-help-looking-at-daphne-in-morbid-satisfaction-what/) [Jennifer Estep Killer Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep-killer-frost/) > [Daphne felt something wild and wicked take hold. “Let’s walk in the garden,” she said softly. “We can’t.” “We must.” “We can’t.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/daphne-felt-something-wild-and-wicked-take-hold-let-s-walk-in-the/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [“She’d rather go down like a roaring lion than a bleating ram.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirlee-busbee/she-d-rather-go-down-like-a-roaring-lion-than-a-bleating-ram/) Shirlee Busbee > [I think the context of the era was still really important for Daphne's character arc, so I wanted to get all of that right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-dynevor/i-think-the-context-of-the-era-was-still-really-important-for-daphne/) [Phoebe Dynevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-dynevor/) > [“I feel like I was being sucked into something bigger than the both of us. As if a fucking tractor beam was grabbing hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbie-bohrman/i-feel-like-i-was-being-sucked-into-something-bigger-than-the-both-of/) [Barbie Bohrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbie-bohrman/) > [“The flowers, the candles, the easy swing of the music, his daughter's perfectly made-up face, her artfully arranged hair, the swell of her pregnancy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-shipstead/the-flowers-the-candles-the-easy-swing-of-the-music-his-daughter-s/) [Maggie Shipstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-shipstead/) > [“I cook for Daphne's second and third boyfriends all the time. It's okay with me as long as I'm the first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-hodnett/i-cook-for-daphne-s-second-and-third-boyfriends-all-the-time-it-s/) [Brenda Hodnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-hodnett/) > [“Like a slapstick comedian, Dirk suffered all kinds of iniquities. He battled past Mud Men, skeletons, creepy crawlies, giant bats and an obstinate suit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/like-a-slapstick-comedian-dirk-suffered-all-kinds-of-iniquities-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You asked about love. I don't know about love, Daphne. I just know I don't want anything but you. I don't want to anywhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenna-yovanoff/you-asked-about-love-i-don-t-know-about-love-daphne-i-just-know-i-don/) [Brenna Yovanoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenna-yovanoff/) > [“You're an absolute genius! I'm the best Daphne ever!" "And so humble,too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/you-re-an-absolute-genius-i-m-the-best-daphne-ever-and-so-humble-too/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) ## More by Jonathan Swift > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“He said, he knew no reason why those who entertain opinions prejudicial to the public should be obliged to change, or should not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/he-said-he-knew-no-reason-why-those-who-entertain-opinions/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-with-borrow-d-silver-shine-what-you-see-is-none-of-mine-first-i/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [A favor is half granted, when graciously refused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-favor-is-half-granted-when-graciously-refused/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [The best Maxim I know in this life is, to drink your Coffee when you can, and when you cannot, to be easy without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/the-best-maxim-i-know-in-this-life-is-to-drink-your-coffee-when-you/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [A lie is an excuse guarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-lie-is-an-excuse-guarded/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [A forward critic often dupes us With sham quotations peri hupsos, And if we have not read Longinus, Will magisterially outshine us. Then, lest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/a-forward-critic-often-dupes-us-with-sham-quotations-peri-hupsos-and/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [May you live every day of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/may-you-live-every-day-of-your-life/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Ale is meat, drink and cloth; it will make a cat speak and a wise man dumb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/ale-is-meat-drink-and-cloth-it-will-make-a-cat-speak-and-a-wise-man/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [All fits of pleasure are balanced by an equal degree of pain or languor; it is like spending this year part of the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/all-fits-of-pleasure-are-balanced-by-an-equal-degree-of-pain-or/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Satire is a sort of glass wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own; which is the chief reason for that kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/satire-is-a-sort-of-glass-wherein-beholders-do-generally-discover/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“When a great genius appears in the world you may know him by this sign; that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/when-a-great-genius-appears-in-the-world-you-may-know-him-by-this/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I have ever hated all nations, professions, and communities, and all my love is toward individuals: for instance, I hate the tribe of lawyers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-have-ever-hated-all-nations-professions-and-communities-and-all-my/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [So endless and exorbitant are the desires of men that they will grasp at all, and can form no scheme of perfect happiness with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/so-endless-and-exorbitant-are-the-desires-of-men-that-they-will-grasp/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) [Explore all 535 Jonathan Swift quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Daphne knows, with equal ease, How to vex and how to please; But the folly of her sex Makes her sole delight to vex.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonathan Swift" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/daphne-knows-with-equal-ease-how-to-vex-and-how-to-please-but-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/daphne-knows-with-equal-ease-how-to-vex-and-how-to-please-but-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/jonathan-swift-433_anger_daphne-knows-with-equal-ease-how-to-vex_2369181.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/jonathan-swift-433_anger_daphne-knows-with-equal-ease-how-to-vex_2369181.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/jonathan-swift-433_anger_daphne-knows-with-equal-ease-how-to-vex_2369181.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Daphne knows, with equal ease, How to vex and how to please; But the folly of her sex Makes her sole delight…” — Jonathan Swift", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jonathan Swift", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Daphne knows, with equal ease, How...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/daphne-knows-with-equal-ease-how-to-vex-and-how-to-please-but-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/daphne-knows-with-equal-ease-how-to-vex-and-how-to-please-but-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```