British Literature

Period 4
November 11, 1996
Internal Corruption of Univil Parisians
b! "ohn #$ %isher
&evolution and lass stru''les are a ommon theme in
histor!$ (o)ever, fe) ompetitions for po)er have been as violent
as the %renh &evolution, )hih Charles *i+ens, -ale of -)o
Cities revolves around$ -he malevolent ations of #adame *efar'e,
.aspard, and the "a/uerie illustrate the de'eneratin' effets of
ven'eful feelin's in people$
#adame *efar'e is one of the most sinister haraters in the
novel, and she is onstantl! in a disontented demeanor$ (o)ever,
she )as one an innoent !oun' 'irl, and it )as ations of the
0vremondes that have instilled her need for retribution$ 1he
revels in deidin' )ho deserves to die and 2It )ould be easier
for the )ea+est poltroon that lives, to erase himself from
e3istene, than to erase one letter of his name or rimes from
the +nitted re'ister of #adame *efar'e 41546$ -he &evolution
onsumes her, and her delusions of omnipotene are e3emplified in
ho) she points 2her +nittin'7needle at little Luie as if it )ere
the fin'er of %ate 48696$ -hrou'hout the novel her feelin's of
ven'eane are inessant$ :nl! the &evolution, and the destrution
of those that destro!ed her famil!, an brin' the losure that
#adame *efar'e needs, and )aitin' for it has deteriorated her as
a person$ 1he has beome an instrument of evil, and )hen Luie
ma+es a +ind 'esture b! +issin' her hand, 2it made no response7
dropped old and heav!, and too+ to its +nittin' a'ain 48646$
-he prolon'ed effets of her depraved, lifelon' an'er have
transformed her into a mahine inapable of benevolene or mer!$
.aspard is another tra'i e3ample of moral deline in the
novel$ (e is first desribed as 2; <o+er of an e3tremel!, not to
sa! )olfishl! pratial harater 44=6$ .aspard is +no)n as a
<ovial fello) )ho performs amusin' arobati feats$ (is hild is
arelessl! run do)n b! the #ar/uis, )ho listlessl! replies 2It is
e3traordinar! to me, $$$ that !ou people annot ta+e are of
!ourselves and !our hildren$ :ne or the other of !ou is for ever
in the )a! 41166$ ;fter this he is hardened, and 'ains a thirst
for true <ustie to be served to the #ar/uis$ .aspard then rides
under the #ar/uis, arria'e and murders him in his sleep$ (e
leaves a note simpl! sa!in' 2*rive him fast to his tomb$ -his
from ";C>U01 41??6$ ;lthou'h .aspard has not lost his sense of
humor or iron! in his note, he still has immorall! ta+en the life
of another in unbridled reven'e$ .aspard is fored into hidin',
and eventuall! aptured b! the soldiers$ -he! e3eute him above
the villa'e fountain and 2he is han'ed there fort! feet hi'h7and
is left han'in', poisonin' the )ater 415?6$ .aspard meets his
ends beause of his rimes that, althou'h <ustifiable, are driven
b! reven'e and the desent of his inte'rit!$
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-he "a/uerie are another e3ample of de'eneration beause of
reven'e, althou'h more alarmin'l! so beause the! are lar'e in
number$ -he onditions for the lo)er lasses are atroious before
the &evolution, and #adame *efar'e,s brother summari@es the
feelin' of the peasants b! remar+in' 2-he! are ver! proud, these
noblesA but )e ommon do's are proud too, sometimes$ -he! plunder
us, outra'e us, beat us, +ill usA but )e have little pride left,
sometimes 4?1B6$ (o)ever, *r$ #anette learl! e3plains that
2-here is prodi'ious stren'th, $$$ in sorro) and despair 4?816$
It is this stren'th that pushes the "a/uerie on)ard to)ard the
&evolution$ Chen it finall! arrives, the! a'ain have been
transformed$ -he! be'in to +ill indifferentl!, and the )rath
ensnares 2lovel! 'irlsA bri'ht )omen, bro)n7haired, bla+7haired,
and 'ra!A !outhsA stal)art men and oldA 'entle born and peasant
bornA all red )ine for La .uillotine, all $$$ arried to her
throu'h the streets to sla+e her devourin' thirst 48586$ -his
abhorrent +illin' ontinues and the "a/uerie 2are not easil!
purified )hen one stained red 48196$ -he ra'e enompasses the
people, and the! at )ith 2not a touh of human s!mpath! 4?866$
;ll of these brutalities are arried out in retaliation to the
enturies of perseution, but the "a/uerie beome oppressors
themselves in the proess$
-he inhumane ats of #adame *efar'e, .aspard, and the
"a/uerie eluidate the devolution that ours )hen unhe+ed
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need for reven'e builds up in people$ -hese haraters help put
the &evolution on a smaller sale, and spea+ volumes about the
primal instints of man$ -he novel sho)s *i+ens, astute
understandin' of the onstant battle man fi'hts a'ainst barbarism
to preserve ivilit! in soiet!$
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