Book II - Chapter XXII. The Sea Still Rises Practice Quiz — A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Book II - Chapter XXII. The Sea Still Rises
How much time has passed since the fall of the Bastille at the start of Chapter 22?
One week.
Why has Madame Defarge stopped wearing a rose in her hair?
The brotherhood of government spies has become "extremely chary" of entering Saint Antoine, so there is no need to signal their presence with a rose.
Who is Foulon?
An elderly aristocratic official hated for telling the starving people they "might eat grass."
How did Foulon try to escape revolutionary justice?
He faked his own death and staged a grand mock funeral, then hid in the countryside.
Where is Foulon being held when Defarge brings news of his capture?
At the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall), as a prisoner.
What is the complimentary name given to Madame Defarge’s chief lieutenant?
The Vengeance.
Describe The Vengeance’s background.
She is the short, rather plump wife of a starved grocer and the mother of two children.
What instrument does The Vengeance use to rally the mob?
A drum.
What weapon does Madame Defarge carry in her girdle?
A knife.
How does Dickens compare the spread of the news through Saint Antoine?
To "a train of powder" (a fuse of gunpowder) suddenly fired, sending a murmur rushing through the quarter.
Why are the women described as more terrifying than the men?
They are driven to "blind frenzy" by years of watching their children and parents starve, tearing at their own friends until they faint.
What is tied to Foulon’s back as mockery?
A bunch of grass, referencing his infamous remark that the poor should eat grass.
How many times does the hanging rope break before Foulon dies?
Twice. On the third attempt, the rope holds.
What is done with Foulon’s head after his execution?
It is placed on a pike with grass stuffed in his mouth.
What happens to Foulon’s son-in-law?
He is captured despite a cavalry guard of five hundred, killed, and his head and heart are placed on pikes alongside Foulon’s.
How does Madame Defarge release Foulon to the mob at the lamppost?
"As a cat might have done to a mouse"—she lets him go silently and composedly while he begs for mercy.
What do the people of Saint Antoine do after the executions?
They return home, wait in long lines for bad bread, cook meager suppers at street fires, and share moments of fellowship, playing with children and embracing.
What does Defarge say to his wife at the close of the chapter?
"At last it is come, my dear!"
How does Madame Defarge respond to her husband’s declaration?
She replies simply, "Almost," implying the revolution’s bloodshed has only just begun.
What does the chapter title "The Sea Still Rises" symbolize?
It extends the ocean metaphor for the revolutionary mob, suggesting the tide of violence has not yet crested and continues to rise beyond natural limits.
Who acts as a "telegraph" between Madame Defarge and the crowd outside the Hôtel de Ville?
Men who have climbed the external architecture of the building to watch through the windows relay her reactions to the crowd.
What phrase does the mob shout when they seize Foulon?
"Bring him out! Bring him to the lamp!"