of her family.  For, when Madame Defarge refuses his request, he acquiesces and goes along with her design of revenge.

Unlike Defarge, the dissipated Sydney Carton swears devotion to Lucie Manette in his platonic love for her.  When Lucie feels the threat of fate in the Chapter entitled "Echoing Footsteps," Carton promises her that he will do everything in his power to protect her and her family.  Later in the narrative, after Darnay is taken prisoner and sentenced to death, Carton again uses his likeness to Darnay--as well as his damaging information against the spy Basard--to gain entry to Darnay's cell and switch places with Lucie's husband.  In his absolute devotion to Lucie's happiness and security, Carton offers himself as sacrificial victim to the Revolution.  Yet, in so doing, he does attain a certain redemption of himself as he contemplates the "far, far better thing" he does that will leave him with a good name, a name that can be perpetuated in the Darnay children.

With regard to Mme. Defarge, the word duty does not seem appropriate.  For, hers is no patriotic or altuistic cause for which she devotes herself.  Instead, it seems more a personal devotion to her personal idee fixe.

Madame Defarge's devotion is her all-consuming dedication to revenge.  She is of this single, fatal idea; her entire life is devoted to the death of as many of the French aristocrats as can.  She watches as a cat watches its prey, knitting into her work the names of those to be executed.  Above all, the entire Evremonde [which is derived from every in English and monde, meaning the world in French] family is etched into her being as sentenced to death.  For, in her venomous revenge she is not satisfied that Charles Darnay die; his entire family must be eradicated.  When her husband suggests that she goes too far with her revenge, Madame Defarge responds,  "Tell the wind and fire where to stop; not me."

Dissolute and phlegmatically going through life, Sydney Carton finds his raison d'etre in his love for Lucie.  After he perceives his flaws, set in sharp contrast to his foil, Charles Darnay, Carton is moved to devote his life to Lucie in order to give meaning to his existence. His love and devotion regarding Lucie prompts him to promise that he will do anything to protect her.  When the occasion arrives for him to make good on his promise, Carton does not waiver in his duty:  He switches places with the condemned Darnay. Nonetheless Carton also performs a duty to himself in mounting the stairs to the guillotine:  "It is a far, far better thing than I have ever done before...."  For,by redeeming himself through his self-sacrifice Sydney Carton can imagine that his name will have respect attached to it ,

I see that child who lay upon her bosom and who bore my name, a man, winning his way up in that path of life which once was mine.  I see him winning it so well, that my name is made illustrious there by the light of his.

Madame Defarge is the spider lying in wait.  She watches and longs for vengeance, but waits for the right time.  She knows that if she acts too soon, she will put herself and everyone involved with the revolution at risk.  So she waits until the time is ripe, carefully knitting the names of her future victims.

Charles Darnay puts his friend’s life before his own when he returns to France to save Gabelle.  He has been lured there by the Defarges, and although there is a trap he still feels the need to save Gabelle.  This is self-sacrificing, even though it also puts his wife and daughter at risk.