Social Inequality in Arlington's France

Oct 21, 2024

Notes on "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens - Book Two, Chapter Eight

Monseigneur in the Country

Landscape Description

  • Beautiful yet barren landscape with:
    • Bright but scarce corn.
    • Poor quality rye, peas, beans.
    • Vegetables substituting wheat.
  • The nature and people both exhibit a sense of dejection and unwillingness to thrive.

The Marquis' Journey

  • The Marquis travels in a carriage drawn by four horses and two postillions.
  • He is affected by the setting sun, giving him a crimson glow, not due to emotions but due to the sun's glow.
  • The sun and the Marquis descend together as the carriage goes downhill.
  • The landscape includes:
    • A village, a church tower, a windmill, a forest, and a fortress used as a prison.

The Village

  • Characterized by poverty:
    • Poor brewery, tannery, tavern, stable-yard, fountains.
  • People are impoverished, preparing meager meals.
  • Heavily taxed by church, state, lord, local, and general taxes.
  • Few children and no dogs present.

Encounter with the Villagers

  • Villagers pause their activities to observe the Marquis.
  • A road mender is questioned:
    • Describes seeing a man hanging by the carriage drag, appearing ghostly.
    • The man was not from the village and vanished into the hillside.
  • The Marquis dismisses concerns about the man as trivial.

Marquis' Attitude

  • Marquis displays arrogance, dismissing the villagers' concerns.
  • Orders the postmaster, Monsieur Gabelle, to ensure any stranger in the village has honest business.

The Woman's Petition

  • A woman petitions the Marquis as the carriage ascends a hill:
    • Her husband, a forester, has died of want.
    • Requests a marker for his grave to prevent it from being forgotten.
    • She expresses the desperation and poverty they face.
  • The Marquis is indifferent, and the carriage continues its journey.

Arrival at the Chateau

  • The Marquis' carriage reaches his chateau.
  • Inquires if Monsieur Charles from England has arrived.

Themes and Analysis

  • Social Inequality: The stark contrast between the Marquis' wealth and the villagers' poverty.
  • Indifference of Aristocracy: The Marquis' dismissive attitude highlights the disconnect between the ruling class and the suffering peasantry.
  • Symbolism: The setting sun parallels the decline of the aristocracy.
  • Foreboding: The ghostly figure hints at unrest and foreshadows the revolutionary themes.

  • Conclusion: The chapter illustrates the dire conditions of the rural poor and the cold arrogance of the nobility, setting the stage for the social upheavals to come in the narrative.