Madame Defarge is one of the most infamous characters in all of classical literature as her role of the agitator towards the Manettes. Madame Defarge was known for her ruthless actions towards the aristocracy and anyone who stood in the ways of her punishing the upper classes. Despite her violent actions, Madame Defarge was justified in her anger towards the upper classes as her family was blatantly mistreated by them and the mistreatment of peasants at the hands of the aristocracy had become a typical factor in everyday society.
Madame Defarge has been seen as a ruthless tyrant through all of A Tale of Two Cities until in chapter sixteen she reveals that ‘ [she] was brought up among fishermen of the sea-shore, and that peasant family so injured by the two Evrémonde brothers, as the Bastille paper describes, is [her] family’(Dickens 339). This completely changes the motives of Madame Defarge as instead of being a pointlessly violent character, she is given a new depth. Her family suffered at the hands of the Evrémondes and the aristocracy and she is determined to get karmic retribution for her family and in a way, all peasants of
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She thought the only way she could get revenge would be if every party involved in her family’s suffering was punished and this is demonstrated when Madame Defarge says that ‘[she] care[s] nothing for this Doctor. He may wear his head or lose it, for any interest [she has] in him; it is all one to [her]. But, the Evrémonde people are to be exterminated, and the wife and child must follow the husband and father’(Dickens 356). If Defarge does not succeed in harming every last member of the Evrémonde family, she will feel like she has failed avenging her family’s legacy. The riches and happiness of this family are not deserved in the eyes of Defarge as peasant blood was spilled as a costly
Healthcare creates unique dilemmas that must consider the common good of every patient. Medical professionals, on a frequent basis, face situations that require complicated, and at times, difficult decision-making. The medical matters they decide on are often sensitive and critical in regards to patient needs and care. In the Case of Marguerite M and the Angiogram, the medical team in both cases were faced with the critical question of which patient gets the necessary medical care when resources are limited. In like manner, when one patient receives the appropriate care at the expense of another, medical professionals face the possibility of liability and litigation. These medical circumstances place a burden on the healthcare professionals to think and act in the best interest of the patient while still considering the ethical and legal issues they may confront as a result of their choices and actions. Medical ethics and law are always evolving as rapid advances in all areas of healthcare take place.
She plays the Force of Evil, as she plots against Darnay and those around him, despite occasional disapprovals from her husband. “‘One must stop somewhere. After all, the question is still where?’ ‘At extermination,’ said Madame’” (263). She’s described as a, “ruthless woman, now taking her way along the streets. Of a strong and fearless character, of shrewd sense and readiness, of great determination… but, imbued from her childhood with a brooding sense of wrong, and an inveterate hatred of a class, opportunity had developed her into a tigress” (281). Madame Defarge did what she thought was right in order to try and compensate for the damage done during her childhood, “that sister of the mortally wounded boy upon the ground was my sister, that husband was my sisters husband, that unborn child was their child, that brother was my brother, that father was my father”
Monsieur Defarge is a revolutionary disguised as a mere bartender. He communicates secretly with his fellow revolutionaries in the bar and helps to orchestrate the plot to overthrow the French aristocracy. Despite the power he holds, he is overshadowed by his ruthless wife, Mrs. Defarge. Mrs. Defarge is a very powerful woman with a lot of influence, and she is ultimately the driving force behind the revolution’s plot. She decides who to kill and knits their name into a coded list. Monsieur Defarge is cooperative and submissive to her, as seen when he agrees with every part of the story she tells without being prompted. Monsieur Defarge is a masculine character with a lot of influence, but his relationship with his wife is not reflective of what was typical during the time period of the French revolution. This is used by Dickens to show that society’s attitudes towards masculinity and femininity are
...l of men. The oppressed male peasants join together to form a group of Jacques, or soldiers, to overthrow the aristocracy. The Jacques use The Defarge's wine-shop as a meeting place. Throughout the story, Madame Defarge is either murdering someone or knitting. She is always "sitting in her usual place in the wine-shop, knitting away assiduously" (162). Her friends are a twisted as she. Her closest confidant is known as The Vengeance. Both Madame Defarge and the Jacques fight until the end.
This passage also give the readers an idea that the theme of this novel is that even though this novel is about war it is also about devotions to one's family. This passage shows this by stating that “the new oppressors who have risen on the destruction of the old“,the reader can take this as that no matter what is going on people have risen on the problems of others. Dickens also starts a list in the beginning of this passage naming off people that Jacques sees, “I see Barsad, and Cly,Defarge, The Vengeance, the Juryman ,the Judge“. This list shows the readers that even though he is at trial he still sees people as people and not as
...in. This time, the Defarges have accused him of being a member of the nobility. Dr. Manette tries to stop it. The court case for Charles’s second trial goes very differently from the first one. Ernst Defarge produces a letter, written by Dr. Manette himself, which dooms Charles to death. Dr. Manette had written down the history of his own imprisonment and stowed it in a wall of the Bastille. The history tells a sordid tale of rape and murder, the crimes committed by Charles’s father and brother. Furious, the jury of French revolutionary "citizens" decides that Charles should pay for the crimes of his father.
Another struggle between love and hate can be found within Monsieur Defarge. In this particular case, it is evil that eventually triumphs. Monsieur Defarge can be considered a true revolutionary, as his actions prove throughout the novel: "… and still Defarge of the wine - shop at his gun, grown doubly hot by the service of four fierce hours" (p. 215). Monsieur Defarge tirelessly works alongside his fellow revolutionaries to defeat the aristocracy that has treated his countrymen so harshly.
...to revenge. She turned into this cold killer to kill the entire Evermonde family for what they had done to her family. She uses her power in the revolution to take revenge on the Evermonde family. Madame Defarge loses her true self and becomes someone who disregards the lives of people include hers. Dickens’s theme of how history repeats itself appears again when Madame Defarge kills innocent people similar to what the Marquis of Evermonde did.
On the subject of the French she says, “I am a subject of His Most Gracious Majesty King George the Third and as such, my maxim is, Confound their politics, Frustrate their knavish tricks…God save the King.” (338) Since she is such, she is the perfect foil for Madame Defarge. Madame Defarge epitomizes chaos and violence. With her unrelenting bloodthirstiness and unceasing desire for revenge she symbolizes the intensity and bloodiness of the French Revolution. “The Evrémonde people are to be exterminated, and the wife and child must follow the husband and father.” (418) Madame’s chilling certainty and willingness to kill an innocent mother and child show the hatred that makes up the revolution she personifies and the peasants that were a part of it. Although Madame Defarge and Miss Pross are foils they share a common ground. They both have an uncompromising sense of duty; Miss Pross to Lucie’s safety and happiness, and Madame to a new and better France. They are both willing to do anything for these causes, including lying down their lives. As Miss Pross says, “I don’t care an English Twopence for myself. I know that the longer I keep you here, the greater hope there is for my Ladybird.” (427) Dickens uses these similarities he suggests that even seemingly opposites can have underlying
Marie Antoinette is considered an infamous figure in history. She was accused of abusing her privileges and not caring for anyone but herself. In reality however, she cared for her husband, children and the country that she was not born in, but vowed to protect. Rumors were spread about her and she was constantly attacked by commoners; however, she remained calm and strong during her imprisonment. She is still considered the villain in history books because people do not know her real
...remonde bloodline, most of which is innocent, must be exterminated to compensate for the deaths of her two siblings. The distinctions between the two women are especially evident when they engage in battle over the Evremonde family because they are speaking in different languages. Neither can understand the other linguistically, nor on a moral level. The message Dickens is attempting to convey through these characters is that of the many applications of passion, such zeal is best employed “with the vigorous tenacity of love [because it is] always so much stronger than hate” (365). In a decision between using one’s energy for love or hate, it is more productive and personally satisfying to choose the path of love because it is able to overcome that of hate.
While Madame Ratignolle, Madamoiselle Reisz and Edna are very different characters, all of them are unable to reach their potentials. Madame Ratignolle is too busy being the perfect Louisiana woman that she no identity of her own; her only purpose in life is to care for her husband and children. Madamoiselle Reisz is so defiant and stubborn that she has isolated herself from society and anyone she could share her art with. Edna has the opportunity to rise above society’s expectations of females, but she is too weak to fight this battle and ultimately gives up. While these three characters depict different ideas of what it truly means to be a woman and what women’s role in society should be, none of them can reach their full individual potential.
"She was a disagreeable little woman, no longer young, who had quarreled with almost everyone, owing to a temper which was self-assertive and a disposition to trample upon the rights of others." (25) This is how Kate Chopin introduces the character of Mademoiselle Reisz into her novel, The Awakening. A character who, because of the similarities she shares with Madame Pontellier, could represent the path Madame Pontellier’s life may have taken, had she survived old age.
Women are characterized by their unconditional love. All characteristic that is demeaning to man. Madame de Franval's as much as Eugénie's aim is to please Monsieur de Franval. Compared to men, women are delicate, rather than robust, they are sentimental rather than sensible, they are foolish, rather than prudent which men utilized to their advantage. Madame de Verquin is the exceptions, she is wise enough to see the powerless position of women, 'weaker sex' (Sade, 1992:106) , even though she is only looking for love with a man, rather than respect.
Lucie Manette, daughter of Dr. Manette and the perfect wife of Charles Darnay. Her strength could be derived from her early life and upbringing by Miss Pross. To Charles Darnay, she is the ideal wife. She even fights Madame Defarge when she exclaims ' “As a wife and mother…I implore you to have pity on me and not to exercise power that you possess against my innocent husband, but use it in his behalf. O sister-woman, think of me. As a wife and mother!"(278) This strong yet very compassionate woman is able to confront Madame Defarge who she clearly fears, especiall...