"...that he had obtained the permission, and had remained in that Hall of Blood until the danger was over." (p. 275) Why did Dickens refer to the courtroom as the Hall of Blood?
"The mad joy over the prisoners who were saved, had astounded him scarcely less than the mad ferocity against those who were cut to pieces." (p. 275) Why is this?
As Dr. Manette explained his experience watching an innocent prisoner being stabbed and killed in the streets, Mr. Lorry becomes nervous about these terrible incidents. What does Mr. Lorry think will happen and why is he worried about Dr. Manette? What has changed about Dr. Manette? What job does Dr. Manette now have and why is it important to Lucie that he has this job? Lastly, what is said about the guillotine, and what method of writing is used to describe it?
i think the title of this chapter, Calm in Storm, means that Dickens is going to step away from all the action that just happened. We don't see whats happening at La Force, or even the revolution. It is just a stop in the storm. I think Dickens did this just for a break in the gruesome story. To step back and pause. I think they let Darnay live because Doctor Manette did something to convinve Defarge. Since Defarge is internally devoted to Manette maybe he made sure they did not kill him in La Force.
ReplyDelete"and that the air around her had been tainted by the slain." I think this quote was one of the most interesting in the chapter. It set an image in my head about how the air really was tainted by what occured days before. Overall, this chapter was very short and did not have much action in it, but it was nice to have a break from all the fighting.
The whole of Book III has been very action packed, and this chapter continues that trend. The title is more about Darnay and company than the revolution. They have just sort of gone about their lives while the revolution rages on. Darnay was in prison, his life only spared because Manette used his status as a Bastille prisoner to keep him alive. "He used his influence so wisely, that he was soon the inspecting physician of three prisons, and among them of La Force. He could now assure Lucie that her husband was no longer confined alone." (P 276) The Hall of Blood is called such because of how many death penalties were given there. As for the Joy and Ferocity, this is because no matter which way the case turns out in the Tribunal, someone is experiencing extreme emotions. Very French.
ReplyDeleteAs for Lorry, he is worry that the mob will get them or kill Darnay. Manette, however, has undergone a major change and he feels almost empowered by the mob and the influence he has over it. He is a doctor with the power to make sure Darnay is OK. The guillotine is a device used for execution by decapitation and it is personified as a rough and tough female, not that unlike Madame Defarge.
I think this chapter's title refers to the long period of time from the start of Darnay's imprisonment until more action begins. This is a period of waiting before Darnay gets released, and both his storyline and that of Madame Defarge concludes. Doctor Manette must have been able to use his power and respect as a former prisoner of the Bastille to convince the tribunals that Darnay's life should be spared, but he kept in prison.
ReplyDeleteDickens refers to the courtroom as a "hall of blood" in reference to the many prisoners unjustly sent to the guillotine. This chapter marked a remarkable change in Dr. Manette's character. Gone are the ghosts of his past. Instead, his imprisonment actually has given him the power to preserve his daughter's happiness as she once helped his. It is with this strength and his will that he protects Darnay's life.
Like many chapters previously read, Dickens uses great description and many metaphors to describe the “Calm Storm”, but without dialogue. I compared this chapter to an intermission of a show of some sort, but in this case it felt like a break from the gruesome action we have already seen. I thought the storm was the revolution, and Dickens was taking a pause from all the action. The only reason for Darnay to still be alive, in my opinion, is because of Manette. If Manette had not done any convincing, Darnay might have ended up in a different environment and situation. I thought at this point in the book, something would happen to Darnay already because of what we have already read. It also made this part of the chapter seem like a fairytale and Dickens was somehow “saving” Darnay, by letting Manette fight his battle.
ReplyDeleteThe hall of blood description was very interesting. It described all of the prisoners who were sent to the guillotine. It seemed like Manette’s father figure to Lucie has changed. In this situation, he is trying to make her happy by saving Darnay. Before the roles were switched and Lucie was trying to make her father happy. Now I think Manette is making Lucie’s happiness a priority because he doesn’t want to lose her again or ever be apart.
In this chapter, the calm of the storm was the pause in the slaughtering. As mentioned, the revolutionaries agreed not to kill Darnay. This is the first time in the book, where the rebels haven't been violent and savage and it is the first time we've seen them let someone go with their life. However, this is only momentarily because later on, they behead the king and queen and the slaughtering continues. The reason why the rebels let Darnay live was probably because of the Defarge's relationship with the Manettes. But this seems very unlike the Defarges, especially Madame Defarge, to let her past relationship with the Manettes affect the revolution. Maybe Dr. Manette arranged a deal with the Defarges, or something else happened that the reader doesn't know about. To answer the question, Dickens calls it the hall of blood because many prisoners were killed there.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it seems Dr. Manette has changed very much. It seems as though he has become much more strong and confident. This could not all be good however. His new qualities could get him into some trouble. Also Dr Manette got a job as a physician at the prisons. This will allow him to keep Darnay safe.
Again in this chapter we get a vivid description of "the sharp female called La Guillotine." Again and Again, in every chapter, Dickens gives lengthy descriptions of the guillotine. He personifies it too. He does this because the guillotine is symbolic. It represents the revolution and its brutality as a whole.
I agree with what George said, this chapter represents a short pause in the continuous slaughter that has occurred in the past couple of chapters. We learn that the rebels have decided not to kill Darnay which is a surprise because usually they are very violent. However, this charity in keeping Darnay alive is thrown out when they behead the King and the Queen, so it is very short lived. Just as George said the only reason that the let Darnay live was because of the Defarge's relationship with the Manette's. However, this is surprising because I kind of got the feeling that Madame Defarge wants Darnay dead.
ReplyDeleteDr. Manette seems to have a changed a great deal. He is not longer the weak body and weak minded person that he was in the Bastille, he is not a strong bodied and iron willed man. He is strong and confident and also assertive. It will be interesting to watch how Dr. Manette's condition continues to turn around and whether or not he will relapse back into one of his insanity fits.
The revolutionaries have very perverse moral compasses. They seem to trust completely in their newly established tribunals. "The mad joy over the prisoners who were saved, had astounded him scarcely less than the mad ferocity against those who were cut to pieces." This quote demonstrates the fact that the revolutionaries are merely puppets who can't think for themselves. They embraced the free prisoners and slaughter the guilty without any consideration of the fact that their infantile justice system might be flawed.
ReplyDeleteThey also showed a strange level of compassion on page 275 which continues this theme. "One prisoner there was, he said, who had been discharged into the street free, but at whom a mistaken savage had thrust a pike as he passed out. Being besought to go to him and dress the wound, the Doctor had passed out at the same gate, and had found him in the arms of a company of Samaritans, who were seated on the bodies of their victims. With an inconsistency as monstrous as anything in this awful nightmare, they had helped the healer, and tended the wounded man with the gentlest solicitude—had made a litter for him and escorted him carefully from the spot—had then caught up their weapons and plunged anew into a butchery so dreadful, that the Doctor had covered his eyes with his hands, and swooned away in the midst of it.
Manette Is happy in this chapter because he convinced the tribunal of the prison to keep Darnay alive. Even though everything is crazy during these times, Manette believes that Darnay is safe, which has a calming effect on him, and Mr. Lorry, despite the war, hence the title of the chapter.
ReplyDeleteManette has attained a job as a inspecting physician in multiple prisons, which keeps Lucie less worried about Darnay.
"The mad joy over the prisoners who were saved, had astounded him scarcely less than the mad ferocity against those who were cut to pieces." (p. 275). I think Dickens is saying that it is better to be killed than it is to be alive. Prisoners would rather be cut to pieces than think about their impending doom.
ReplyDeleteWhen Dr. Manette is talking about what he saw, he seems like he has new life in him. I think that Manette is getting in to the revolution-drinking the cool aid, if you will. Manette became a doctor for a lot of prisons, including La Force. This is important because he can keep up with Darnay, and use is influence among the people in the prison power structure.
The guillotine is personified as a woman, and is now a symbol for the revolution. It is a fixture in the streets of Paris.