Kino had wondered often at the iron in his patient, fragile wife. She, who was obedient and respectful and cheerful and patient, she could arch her back in child pain with hardly a cry

Although the rest of the question is not included, we can still describe what this quote means in the novel. This quote comes from the book The Pearl by John Steinbeck.

In this quote, Kino is describing his wife Juana. Kino has always been obsessed with manhood, and what it means to be a man. Similarly, he wants his wife to be a typical woman. Juana is indeed patient, fragile and submissive. She obeys her husband and fulfills ideals of traditional womanhood. However, she is also very strong. She is resilient, practical and brave. This semi-contradiction shocks Kino, but also allows him to rely on her for support throughout their troubles.