A Tale of Two Cities Warfare Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Volume.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

"It does not take a long time to strike a man with Lightning," said Defarge.

"How long," demanded madame, composedly, "does it take to make and store the lightning? Tell me." (2.16.25-26)

Madame Defarge’s implacable rage allows her to wait for the oncoming of revolution. Note the naturalized metaphors in this scene: her rage is as certain (and as natural) as the elements themselves.

Quote #5

"But it is your weakness that you sometimes need to see your victim and your opportunity, to sustain you. Sustain yourself without that. When the time comes, let loose a tiger and a devil; but wait for the time with the tiger and the devil chained—not shown—yet always ready." (2.16.39)

Madame Defarge shows restraint where her husband shows passion. At the moment, this seems like a good strategy; it also foreshadows her pitiless treatment of the Manettes later in the novel.

Quote #6

With a roar that sounded as if all the breath in France had been shaped into the detested word, the living sea rose, wave on wave, depth on depth, and overflowed the city to that point. Alarm-bells ringing, drums beating, the sea raging and thundering on its new beach, the attack began. (2.21.36)

Like the quote earlier, this depicts the uprising of the people as an event as natural and unstoppable as nature. Individuals become indistinguishable in the "sea" of violence that sweeps the country.