Knitting During the French Revolution

My niece once told me she was reading A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.  To her, it seemed more like an endless succession of episodes than a novel with a three-part dramatic structure.  I vaguely remember picking up the book in elementary school library, but being talked out of reading it until I was older.  Strangely though, I can’t remember being taught anything about the French Revolution in history classes (even at university), except that it was “complicated.”

A couple years ago, I read Drood, a novel in which Dan Simmons portrays Charles Dickens from contemporary author Wilkie Collin’s point-of-view.  I’ve wanted to read both Collins and Dickens since reading Dan Simmons’ novel, so perhaps I should begin with A Tale of Two Cities.  My concern is that it’s a long novel, so I’ll have to set aside all the other books I want to read.  Plus, there’s the added problem that once Dickens brings this period of history to life for me, I’ll want to study the subject further, and I already have so many nonfiction topics I want to research.  (Of course, in order to play fair, I’ll then have to read a Wilkie Collins novel as well).  Still, nothing illuminates history quite like well-written Fiction, and A Tale of Two Cities ranks among the most famous works of literature.  

While I debate about reading the novel, I’ve recently found another valuable source of information on the French Revolution.  “The Reign of Terror” was a six-part serial written by Dennis Spooner, and was filmed during the first year of Doctor Who.  When the TARDIS arrives in France in 1794, the Doctor’s companions are thrown in jail, and he must impersonate a regional administrator in the hopes of rescuing them before they are taken to the guillotine.  When watching the episodes with the “Information Text” option, I gained a nice overview of this important period of history, as well as a few interesting facts.  One was that a group of women, known as Tricoteuses, would sit by the guillotine and knit during public executions.

I can understand a lot of the reasons why the French Revolution occurred.  I get how ideologies might drive people to commit terrible acts in the name of the common good, such as during the Reign of Terror, when tens of thousands of people were condemned to death.  What I can’t understand is how a group of women could plunk themselves down beside a guillotine, watch as people are led up to it, and knit while the blade descends and a person’s head drops into a basket.  I mean, wouldn’t their knitted hats and gloves get stained?  Who would wear a sweater splattered with blood?

My wife’s tells me she finds knitting a calming and restful hobby…and then she knits Daleks.  Part of me argues that I’d better confiscate her knitting needles while I still can.  The other part argues that the Women’s March on Versailles served as an important precursor to the French Revolution.  So what should I do?  Should I confiscate her knitting needles?  Or would doing so incite the violence and rebellion I wish to avert?

You know, maybe I really do need to read A Tale of Two Cities.  

Dragon Dave