She has faced second-hand wrongdoing from the oppressive government through the murder of her family members. She describes, “...that sister of the mortally wounded boy upon the ground was my sister, that husband was my sister’s husband, that unborn child was their child, that brother was my brother, that father was my father, those dead are my dead, and that summons to answer for those things descends to me!’”(Dickens 354). Because Madame Defarge was vengeance for her family, she makes the heir of the aristocrat that killed her family, an innocent man who had relinquished his claim to the throne, to be executed. She believes that all aristocrats must be punished just because of their relation by blood, saying herself, “‘The château [castle] and the race...Extermination.’”(Dickens 179). Madame Defarge’s hatred for the government comes from her loved ones being murdered by the controllers of that government.
She strongly feels that they took her family, so she will take theirs. Even after Madame Defarge finds out Charles is an Evermonde and is married to Lucie, she is eager to kill him, his wife and their child. It didn’t matter that her husband was close to Dr. Manette, she was determined to get her way. Even if it meant going behind her husbands back. Nothing could stop her.
This is why the tone is critical towards the aristocrats in the story, and empathizes with the peasants and Bourgeois, or middle class. Therefore, Dickens uses a critical tone towards the aristocrats in the story, such as the Monseigneur and Monsieur the Marquis . In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens uses tone to be critical over the aristocrats in the book. One aristocrat that Charles
The crowd is too overtaken by their thirst for vengeance to care for human lives. Judging from the corruption of the peasants, Dickens would most likely debunk this
Claim: Madame Defarge’s view on the aristocrats causes the rage built up inside her to snap and create a storm with intentions to harm those who are wealthy rather than act justifiably. Evidence #1 & Rationale: “It would be easier for the weakest poltroon that lives, to erase himself from existence, than to erase one letter of his name or crimes from the knitted register of Madame Defarge” (132). Madame Defarge’s main job in the Revolution is to knit a list of names of aristocrats she wants the resistant to kill. In this quote Defarge is talking about how Madame Defarge’s knitting controls those people’s lives. They talk about how it would be easier for all the aristocrats to commit suicide rather than take them out one letter at a time after knitting their names.
Throughout the novel the author expresses his personal view on the French Revolution through the personification of the guillotine, a tone of uncertainty, and use of violence through oppression. The novel illustrates the story of a people able to overcome an oppressive government through the use of violence. The personification of the guillotine characterizes the chaotic nature of the revolution, by portraying a need of power often seen in the peasants. By using a tone of uncertainty the speaker warns the audience of the danger of using violent methods to overcome violence. If the peasants are not able to make peace with the aristocracy, France cannot be
The characters of Madame Defarge and Marquis St. Evremonde can be associated with the theme that hate is self-destructive through their inhuman qualities, motivation for wrong-doing, relationship with their families, and limitless
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” (Dickens 1). Dickens’ opens A Tale of Two Cities, with this legendary phrase to show a comparison in the superlative degree. As the story progresses the author shows how some concepts such as, sacrifice in the name of love, can have extreme sides to them. Through his wondrous moments of foreshadowing, dramatic irony, the use of parallels, and his ways of playing with suspense, Dickens shows the importance of sacrifice and the selflessness behind it. Additionally, Dickens eloquently demonstrates the irony of how self-sacrifice can actually lead to resurrection within a person.
Many documented cases show rebellions, revolutions, and change of government due to a faulty aspect within it. The French Revolution for example, underwent several government changes due to incompatibility between itself and the people. The steady decline in the lower class of France due to hunger and tax abuse by the nobles and clergy ultimately lead to the
Revenge: A Taste of His Own Medicine A Tale of Two Cities is largely comprised of ideas from the French Revolution and the challenges faced by the people involved in it. The French Revolution involves many uprisings by the lower class because of poor conditions and inequity among the people. Charles Dickens demonstrates this injustice through the peasants of St. Antoine and gives insight of their feelings and motives towards the aristocracy. In fact, the peasants use their motives to plan evil conspiracies as revenge for the aristocrats. Revenge always results in consequences such as death and destruction involving Foulon, the Marquis, and Madame Defarge.