Symbolism of knitting in Tale of Two Cities?

Answer 1

Knitting is a symbol for death in a Tale of Two Cities. Madame Defarge knits the names and faces into the "register" of who she and the other revolutionaries are going to kill. This is a historical reference, as it is said that beheadings had become so commonplace in Revolutionary France that women were said to be knitting outside public trials and a head rolled by, and they didn't even look up from their knitting.

Answer 2

In "A Tale of Two Cities," knitting symbolizes the interconnectedness of fate and the inevitability of the characters' destinies. The repetitive and methodical act of knitting by characters like Madame Defarge represents the threads of history weaving together to shape the course of events. Additionally, the clicking of knitting needles creates a tense rhythm that mirrors the escalating tension and violence in the novel.

Answer 3

Madame Therese Defarge, a bitter and vengeful female revolutionary, the novel's antagonist. She is determined to see the entire Evrémonde family on the guillotine.