"The comfortable estate of widowhood is the only hope that keeps up a wife's spirits"

This quote by John Gay talks to the concept that widowhood is a preferred state than marriage for a lady. He recommends that the only thing that keeps an other half's spirits up is the hope of becoming a widow. This suggests that marital relationship is a hard and unfulfilling experience for a female, and that widowhood is viewed as a better state. This quote reflects the patriarchal society of the time, in which women were viewed as inferior to guys and had few rights or chances. It likewise talks to the idea that marital relationship was viewed as a concern for women, and that widowhood was seen as a type of freedom. This quote is a tip of the restricted choices readily available to ladies in the past, and how they were frequently viewed as second-class citizens.