"she was the golden thread that united him to a past beyond his misery," (114)
Lucie Manette is the epitome of an ideal, perfect Victorian woman. A perfect Victorian woman was referred to as "the angel in the house". Angels in the house were faithful and devoted, submissive, and invisible. Angels in the house were the backbones of the family, yet they were never the stars. Lucie supported her father, husband, and her daughter, while taking care of their home as well. She never put her own needs before the needs of the others. She is thrifty, and can make their house feel homey even with the bare minimum, as stated in chapter sixteen of book two: "[She] appeared to have innately derived from it that ability to make much of little means, which is one of its most useful and most agreeable characteristics," (130). Even as a young girl she is perfect - she's barely 18 when she finds her father, and devotes her life to taking care of a man she had never met.
Is Lucie too perfect? Is there such a thing as too perfect? She is countered by the relentless Madame Defarge (see themes, motifs, and symbolism for more). Lucie will never be equal with Madame Defarge because she only deals with domestic concerns, such as her family and home decor. Madame Defarge is the face of the Revolution; she deals with politics, oppression, and the idea of social change everyday. Lucie will always remain innocent, while by the end of the book Madame Defarge is hardly human. See the feminism page for more on Dickens' ideal women.
Is Lucie too perfect? Is there such a thing as too perfect? She is countered by the relentless Madame Defarge (see themes, motifs, and symbolism for more). Lucie will never be equal with Madame Defarge because she only deals with domestic concerns, such as her family and home decor. Madame Defarge is the face of the Revolution; she deals with politics, oppression, and the idea of social change everyday. Lucie will always remain innocent, while by the end of the book Madame Defarge is hardly human. See the feminism page for more on Dickens' ideal women.