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A Tale of Two Cities

by Charles Dickens

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A Tale of Two Cities

One notable paradox in A Tale of Two Cities is the opening line: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," which highlights the simultaneous existence of prosperity and suffering....

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A Tale of Two Cities

In A Tale of Two Cities, Lucie Manette is introduced as 17 years old, Charles Darnay as 25, and Madame Defarge as 30. Sydney Carton's age is not specified, but he is presumed to be in his 20s due to...

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A Tale of Two Cities

In A Tale of Two Cities, Madame Defarge symbolizes fate and vengeance through her relentless knitting, which records the names of those doomed to die in the revolution. Dickens links her to the Fates...

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A Tale of Two Cities

The hidden function of Madame Defarge's knitting in A Tale of Two Cities is to record the names of those targeted for execution during the French Revolution. This impacts Charles Darnay because his...

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A Tale of Two Cities

In A Tale of Two Cities, Madame Defarge's rose headdress serves as a secret signal to other revolutionaries. When she wears it, it indicates that spies or enemies are present, alerting her allies to...

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A Tale of Two Cities

In A Tale of Two Cities, love triumphs over hate through the selflessness of characters like Sydney Carton, who sacrifices his life for the happiness of Lucie Manette and her family. This act of...

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A Tale of Two Cities

Dr. Manette's letter reveals Madame Defarge's deep vengefulness, as it documents the tragic events caused by Charles Darnay's father and uncle, including the deaths of Madame Defarge's family. The...

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A Tale of Two Cities

Charles is arrested again in A Tale of Two Cities because he is denounced by the Defarges and an unknown third person, later revealed to be Dr. Manette. Madame Defarge, driven by revenge and sadism,...

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A Tale of Two Cities

In A Tale of Two Cities, power abuse is exemplified by the aristocracy's exploitation of the peasantry, such as the Marquis St. Evrémonde's cruel treatment of commoners. Additionally, the...

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A Tale of Two Cities

In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Darnay's secret is his real identity as Charles St. Evremonde, heir to a cruel aristocratic family responsible for Dr. Manette's imprisonment. Darnay renounces his...

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A Tale of Two Cities

Madame Defarge's remarks on dolls and birds in A Tale of Two Cities symbolize her view of the aristocracy as delicate and powerless. She regards them as mere playthings, easily manipulated and...

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A Tale of Two Cities

In A Tale of Two Cities, Madame Defarge's vengefulness towards the aristocrats is rooted in personal trauma and political ideology. Her family suffered greatly due to the Evremonde brothers, leading...

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A Tale of Two Cities

Madame Defarge knits a record of those targeted by the revolution. Her knitting includes the Evremonde family, encompassing the Marquises Evremonde, their descendants like Charles Darnay, his wife...

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A Tale of Two Cities

Madame Defarge's knitting in A Tale of Two Cities symbolizes the meticulous plotting of revenge, paralleling how she weaves together plans for the revolution. Both the knitting and the plotting are...

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A Tale of Two Cities

During Madame Defarge's visit to Lucie's apartment, her cold and unresponsive demeanor deeply unsettles Lucie. Lucie initially responds with gratitude for a note from her husband, but Madame...

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A Tale of Two Cities

Madame Defarge's secret in Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities is her ultimate goal of revenge against the Evremondes and the French aristocracy. Many years earlier, Madame Defarge's sister was...

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A Tale of Two Cities

Madame and Monsieur Defarge in A Tale of Two Cities embody the archetype of villains, with Madame Defarge particularly fitting the "witch" archetype. She is consumed by vengeance for her family's...

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A Tale of Two Cities

Dr. Manette has been staying with Ernest and Therese Defarge since his release from prison. His hostess, Madame Defarge, is constantly knitting. The Defarges, who own a wine-shop in the Paris suburb...

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A Tale of Two Cities

The Defarges are in Paris as key figures during the French Revolution. Ernest Defarge runs a wine shop in the Sainte-Antoine district, while Madame Defarge is deeply involved in revolutionary...

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A Tale of Two Cities

The author makes the novel realistic by setting it against the backdrop of real historical events, such as the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. Dickens incorporates factual details, like...

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A Tale of Two Cities

Madame Defarge, in A Tale of Two Cities, exhibits negative qualities such as intense hatred, vengefulness, and viciousness, allowing her desire for revenge against the aristocracy to dominate her...

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