Book III - Chapter IV. Calm in Storm Practice Quiz — A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Book III - Chapter IV. Calm in Storm
How many days is Doctor Manette absent before returning at the start of this chapter?
Four days.
How many defenceless prisoners were killed by the populace during the September Massacres?
Eleven hundred (1,100).
To which prison was Doctor Manette taken by the crowd?
La Force prison.
What three fates could the Tribunal assign to prisoners?
They could be released, sent back to their cells, or put forth to be massacred.
Which member of the Tribunal recognized Doctor Manette?
Defarge.
Why was Doctor Manette given special influence at the Tribunal?
Because he had been a secret and unaccused prisoner in the Bastille for eighteen years, making him a notable sufferer under the old regime.
What happened when Darnay appeared close to being released by the Tribunal?
An unexplained check led to a few words of secret conference, after which the President ordered Darnay held in safe custody rather than released.
What paradoxical behavior did the Doctor witness among the revolutionaries at the prison?
They tenderly nursed a wounded man, made a litter for him, and escorted him to safety—then caught up their weapons and plunged back into butchery.
How does Doctor Manette now view his eighteen years of imprisonment?
As strength and power rather than waste and ruin—his suffering forged the "iron" that could break the prison door of his daughter’s husband.
How do the roles of Doctor Manette and Lucie reverse in this chapter?
Where Lucie once restored her father to himself, he now takes the lead as the strong protector, and they become "the weak" who must trust him.
What position does Doctor Manette achieve in Revolutionary Paris?
He becomes the inspecting physician of three prisons, including La Force.
Why was Lucie not permitted to write letters to Darnay in prison?
Because the wildest suspicions of plots pointed at emigrants who had made friends or connections abroad.
What major historical events does Dickens compress into this chapter?
The trial and execution of the King, the beheading of the Queen, the declaration of the Republic, and the mobilization of 300,000 men against foreign powers.
What does La Guillotine replace as an object of worship, according to Dickens?
The Cross. Models of the guillotine were worn on breasts from which the Cross was discarded.
What nickname does Dickens give the guillotine?
The "National Razor which shaved close."
What biblical figure does Dickens allude to when describing the executioner who operates the guillotine?
Samson ("the strong man of Old Scripture"), but Dickens says this functionary was "stronger than his namesake, and blinder."
How long has Charles Darnay been in prison by the end of this chapter?
One year and three months.
How does Mr. Lorry react to the change he sees in Doctor Manette?
He observes the Doctor’s new "sustaining pride" as a curiosity, but finds it natural and right, thinking: "take the lead, my dear friend, and keep it; it couldn’t be in better hands."
What is the "Law of the Suspected"?
A revolutionary law that struck away all security for liberty or life and allowed any bad person to denounce any good and innocent person, filling prisons with people who had committed no offence.
Why is Doctor Manette described as "a man apart" and compared to a Spirit?
His unique status as a former Bastille prisoner, combined with his impartial medical service to both assassins and victims, placed him beyond suspicion—as if he had been "recalled to life" and moved among mortals like a spirit.