She was very quiet when I saw her and she sat in the corner and knit all day. When remembering Madame Defarge I think of her characteristics as “ Madame Defarge was a stout woman of about his own age, with a watchful eye that sold them seem to look at anything, A large hand to heavily ringed, a steady face, , strong features, and a great composure of manner”( Dickens 31). This shows Madame Defarge's physical appearances and that she was well respected. She had a confidence in her that no one could back down from. When thinking about Madame Defarge’s personality and how she related to the world “Only one soul was to be seen, and that was Madame Defarge- who leaned against the door-post, knitting, and saw nothing”(Dickens 47). As Madame Defarge is knitting she seems to be unaware of her surroundings and seems exceptionally innocuous, but in reality she is causing deaths. When Madame Defarge adds John Barsad to the registry she says “Eh my faith. It is a portrait! He shall be registered to-morrow” ( Dickens 171). Therefore, Madame Defarge does not take anyone's feelings into consideration since she is laughing and taking the deaths of people's lives as a joke. Madame Defarge is a cruel and murderous human that deserves to be punished for all the harm she has…
Characters change in many ways, whether they are conscious of it or not. In both a “Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens and “Nectar in a Sieve” by Kamala Markandaya characters can change when they have choices forced upon them. This essay will show how change is forced on characters in both books.…
5.) Knitting- The knitting referred to is done by Madame Defarge. Throughout the story, she is knitting a list of people to kill. This is an important piece of the story.…
Since what seems like the beginning of human civilization, the role of the female has varied from society to society. This role is symbolically represented in The Odyssey by Homer and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, two of the most famous works of literature, and yet two of the most different. In each book, the author uses a rich variety of symbolism to express themes he finds necessary to enrich the story. In both books, feminine figures are used as symbolism to represent the role of the female in the society of the author.…
During the French Revolution Dickens believes power switches from the upper class to the lower class. The shift in power corrupts the minds of the lower class, who were the people Dickens felt bad for throughout most of the novel. For example, when Jacques three, a peasant, says to kill Lucie and her daughter because, “We haven’t killed that many blondes yet.” Having the power of the guillotine, gives the lower class power, which allows them to kill whoever they want with no solid reason. Since they have power, they believe they can do whatever they want. Another example is Madame Defarge who is an evil hearted creature who is corrupted by the power the French…
In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens’s descriptions and mentions of fountains demonstrate the increasing animosity of the rich by the poor, thereby foreshadowing revolution.…
Doctor Manette does not let his struggle with vengeance control his life, while Madame Defarge is driven by the force. Instead of coping with her angst like Doctor Manette, Madame Defarge chooses to keep her feelings inside and acts out in violent ways. The need for retribution is inevitable when a person has been victimized. Dickens understands the impact of the tyranny and how it works when it comes to revenge. “Crush humanity out of shape once more, under similar hammers, and it will twist itself into the same tortured forms. Sow the same seed of rapacious license and oppression over again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind”(385) When Doctor Manette finds out that it was Charles’ family who locked him up in prison for eighteen years, his initial spite is understandable. However, Manette learns to sacrifice his past malice in order to move on to the future. Madame Defarge can never get over the fact that she was scorned in her early years, and she decides to blame the whole class of the aristocracy for her oppressed childhood. Dickens clarifies her behavior when he laments, “It was nothing to her, that an innocent man was to die for the sins of his forefathers; she saw not him, but them. To appeal to her, was made hopeless by her having no sense of pity, even for herself.” (376) The behaviors of Doctor Manette and Madame Defarge are striking contrasts. Doctor Manette is ultimately at peace, while…
The novel by Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, features some of the most well-known and symbolic characters in literary history. One major antagonist, Madame Defarge, embodies the cruelty and hatred that was rampant during the French Revolution. Sydney Carton, undoubtedly the most important character in the novel, developing throughout the novel originating as an unmotivated, drunk attorney but commits the ultimate act of kindness when he gives his life to preserve the life of his friends. In the final scene of the novel, “the Seamstress” is introduced. “The Seamstress” provides a further example of the injustice of the revolutionaries as well as aides Carton in achieving his Christ-like sacrifice. These three characters play an important role in the novel by portraying the three main themes of novel: violence and cruelty, death and resurrection, and sacrifice.…
Symbolism and imagery is extremely prevalent in A Tale of Two Cities. Charles Dickens uses it as a way to foreshadow large future events, as well as to explain and keep current events secretive. He does this through vessels such as the wine spilling, Madame Defarge’s knitting and shadowy figure, and the introduction of the grindstone.…
The Garret, built to be a depository for firewood and the like, was dim and dark…” (pg 47) This setting describes an attic in the novel The Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. The settings in this book play an important role in expressing all the emotions of the plot. The way Charles Dickens writes, and the type of diction he uses in his descriptions, explains the mood and tone, foreshadows future events, and symbolizes crucial objects.…
Blood and Water have become symbols for many things; their numerous connotations can allow the reader to imagine more than just the broader aspects of these two subjects. Blood imagery reveals the darker side of humanity where water can either mean pureness and tranquility or destruction and chaos. The novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, uses the imagery of blood and water to represent the ways of the revolution.…
She is first portrayed as a woman of principle who is helping her husband with…
2. Madame Defarge makes an excellent symbol for the French Revolution because she represents the attitude of the French Peasants-turned-revolutionaries. Like the peasant's, she has suffered greatly at the hands of the aristocrats. Specifically the Evrémondes, to who Charles Darnay is related by blood, and Lucie by marriage. She has seen her family destroyed and lived in poverty. She wishes to live in a world of equality and fairness. Once she gains the power to actually shape her nation, however, she turns into a mad tyrant. No amount of reason can make her forgive, Charles even though it wasn’t him who actually killed her brother and sister it was his uncle and father.…
In the novel A Tale Of Two Cities Charles Dickens uses imagery to help develop themes. This is present in the image of the broken wine cask, developing the theme of desperation within the third estate. The theme of the constant threat of revolutionaries is shown in the image of Madame Defarge’s shadow cast over little Lucie Manette. Subsequently the image of the guillotine represents the theme of desensitization to violence within the progression of the revolution.…
Throughout the novel A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens creates suspense and mystery to try to keep his readers interested. This technique might have worked for 19th century people with nothing better to read, but it doesn't stack up nowadays. You can paint this anyway you want but what it all comes down to is that no 20th century person with any kind of attention span wants to read a 400 page book with one dimensional characters and an unbelievable storyline. But, Dickens's original audience couldn't get enough of the novel's intricate plot filled with suspense and mystery. To get the novel this suspense and mystery, Dickens's divides his story into episodes, allows his characters to be general, and uses the theme of doubles.…