Madame Defarge is a fictional character from the novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. She is a member of the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror and is known for her ruthless actions.
Madame Defarge is a very important character in the novel, as she represents the vengeful and violent nature of the Revolution. She is driven by her desire for revenge against those who have wronged her or her family. Madame Defarge is also a symbol of the cruelty of the Revolutionary government.
“They had been dead many years, these two; and yet it was not possible to read that passage without thinking of them both, as they had lived in their youthful beauty.”
It’s said that when you want to get even, you should begin digging a hole beside the person you’re avenging. In A Tale of Two Cities, Chapter 14, Madame Defarge reaps what she sowed. It was clear that the revolution in France is just a euphemism for Madame Defarge’s desire to seek revenge on the Marquis Evremonde for his crimes. She made up for what the Marquis stole from her and all of her living family members by devoting her life to finding them and returning them to their rightful home.
Madame Defarge is the embodiment of one who will stop at nothing to avenge her loved ones. Madame Defarge is ruthless in her quest for revenge. She does not hesitate to take innocent lives if it means getting closer to her goal. Madame Defarge is also very patient, waiting years to take her revenge. This quote shows Madame Defarge’s dedication to her cause and her willingness to go to any lengths to see it through.
Madame Defarge had knitted when other people sang or talked. She had mutely attended to every word that had been said, and even every gesture that had been made before she was brought into the Court.”
Madame Defarge is not only dedicated to her cause, but she is also very observant. She takes notice of everything that happens around her and uses it to her advantage. Madame Defarge is also very clever, using her knitting as a way to keep track of everyone she plans to kill.
After achieving her goal of capturing Charles Darnay and having him sentenced to death by the guillotine, Madame Defarge is still not happy. In order to catch Lucie in the act of grieving for someone, Madame Defarge goes looking for her in search of a prisoner. As a result, when she arrives at the house, Lucie and her family have already fled and are met by Miss Pross, who was the last person to see her alive. Dickens shows that an obsession with revenge leads a person straight to their death through use of reversal, situational irony, juxtaposition, and incongruity.
Madame Defarge is a complex character who demonstrates the lengths to which a person will go when consumed by revenge. In A Tale of Two Cities, Madame Defarge is driven by her desire to avenge the death of her family during the Reign of Terror. She believes that all those who were associated with the aristocracy, even indirectly, are responsible for the deaths of her loved ones. Consequently, she is determined to see them all suffer.
One of Madame Defarge’s most notable quotes is, “See you this knife? I have another at home, sharpened for you!” This quote is significant because it highlights Madame Defarge’s single-mindedness and lack of empathy. She is willing to kill anyone who gets in her way, even if they have done nothing wrong. Madame Defarge is also willing to sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of revenge. She could have had a happy life with her husband, but she is so consumed by hatred that she cannot enjoy anything.
Madame Defarge is ultimately killed by Miss Pross, who is the last person to see her alive. This is significant because it demonstrates the destructive power of revenge. Madame Defarge has spent her entire life consumed by hate and seeking vengeance, and it has led to her downfall. Her obsession has cost her everything, including her life.
Revenge may begin as a little urge, but it can quickly develop into an uncontrollable yearning that leads to the destruction of all ties, especially those with friends and family. As a result, Madame Defarge’s desire for vengeance consumed her so much that she had no regard for the fact that Lucie was Doctor Manette’s daughter; Dr. Manette being a close friend of her husband. She desired death for anyone who was linked to the Marquis, just as he had caused the deaths of all her loved ones before him.
Madame Defarge was a woman who would not stop at anything to get what she wanted, and in this case, what she wanted was revenge. Madame Defarge was introduced in Book the Second of A Tale of Two Cities, during the fall season of 1775. She was described as “a stout woman of about his own age… The wife of ErnestDefarge, a wine-shop keeper” (Dickens 34).
Madame Defarge was not given much description by Dickens other than her physical appearance and her occupation. However, through her actions and dialogue throughout the novel, we are able to understand that she is a very vengeful person.
We see Madame Defarge’s thirst for revenge when she first appears in the novel. She is sitting in her husband’s wine-shop with knitting needles and yarn, working on what will become “a register of all the death” (Dickens 35). Madame Defarge is not only keeping track of the deaths related to the Marquis, but she is also planning how she will kill those who were even slightly associated with him.
Madame Defarge shows no mercy as she talks about killing Lucie’s father, Doctor Manette. Even though he was a close friend of her husband, Madame Defarge still saw him as someone who was related to the Marquis and therefore must die.
Madame Defarge’s thirst for revenge is further seen when she becomes more involved in the Revolution. She starts to go by the name “ Madame la Guillotine” and becomes one of the most ruthless leaders of the Revolution (Dickens 298). Madame Defarge takes great pleasure in sending people to their deaths, including Lucie’s husband, Charles Darnay. Madame Defarge is so consumed by her desire for revenge that she does not even hesitate to kill Lucie’s entire family.
In conclusion, Madame Defarge is a prime example of how revenge can destroy a person’s life. Madame Defarge was so consumed by her thirst for revenge that she did not care about anything else. She was willing to kill anyone who was even slightly associated with the Marquis, including Lucie’s father and husband. Madame Defarge’s obsession with revenge led to the destruction of her own life and the lives of those around her.