These words, spoken by Dickens illumine us on the stark hatred, the unflinching desire for revenge that makes Dickens so "wretched." His "the sun was going down and flaring out like an angry fire at the child-- and the child, and I, and the pale horse stared at one another in silence for some five minutes as if we were so many figures in some dismal allegory", reflects so vividly the spirit of hatred personified by Madame Defarge. She shows no compunction, neither would have allowed any weakness to deflect her from her purpose.

Revenge reigns utmost in `A Tale of Two Cities', but the basic element beneath the theme of revenge is `Rape'--the violation...