The French Revolution made monsters out of the kindest of people, it was a time where anyone in the higher classes was in critical danger at all times, and the only way to survive was to rebel. Though not every monster in the revolution was committed to introducing the Guillotine. Individuals like Madame Defarge, although she is not expected to fight, was a major character due to her unabiding cruelty and diligent support of the Revolution. Throughout the story, she changes her roles at every step of the revolution, yet her goal remains the same. Her coldness is derived simply from an unwavering hatred of the aristocracy, and a desperate need for revenge. This arc, though not as extreme as Doctor Manette or even Sydney Carton, is one of the
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At first, she may be dismissed as a side character, as her somewhat stern demeanor and homely description makes her seem only like a controlling wife. However throughout the story, Dickens slowly begins to reveal what a cruel and precise person Madam Defarge is. Madam Defarge spends most of her time knitting in the shop, and as with such a practice, mistakes would typically be commonplace. On the contrary, Dickens makes a point to say:“There was a character about Madame Defarge, from which one might have predicated that she did not often make mistakes against herself in any of the reckonings over which she presided” (Dickens, 55). This description not only reinforces what kind of person Madam Defarge is, but also secures her role in the story, and as a round character. Her suspicious, careful actions make sense for a member of the revolution, and since the wine store they own is a central hub for dissident activities, her silent knowledge makes her all the more valuable to those around her. Because of this, she begins to take more and more power, and with it she changes into a dominant role in both the wine shop and the rebellion. However, the changes she makes do not in any way make her a dynamic character. Throughout the story her stony exterior does not change, remaining as well maintained as it was when Dickens first introduced
At first, she may be dismissed as a side character, as her somewhat stern demeanor and homely description makes her seem only like a controlling wife. However throughout the story, Dickens slowly begins to reveal what a cruel and precise person Madam Defarge is. Madam Defarge spends most of her time knitting in the shop, and as with such a practice, mistakes would typically be commonplace. On the contrary, Dickens makes a point to say:“There was a character about Madame Defarge, from which one might have predicated that she did not often make mistakes against herself in any of the reckonings over which she presided” (Dickens, 55). This description not only reinforces what kind of person Madam Defarge is, but also secures her role in the story, and as a round character. Her suspicious, careful actions make sense for a member of the revolution, and since the wine store they own is a central hub for dissident activities, her silent knowledge makes her all the more valuable to those around her. Because of this, she begins to take more and more power, and with it she changes into a dominant role in both the wine shop and the rebellion. However, the changes she makes do not in any way make her a dynamic character. Throughout the story her stony exterior does not change, remaining as well maintained as it was when Dickens first introduced