Secrets of Dactylic Hexameter Revealed!

 The Odyssey is written in a meter called dactylic hexameter. Remember Shakespeare's iambic pentameter? This is similar.

You might think of pterodactyls, or you might think of hexagons, or your eyes might just glaze over when you hear the phrase "dactylic hexameter."

You're actually right about the pterodactyls; their name is Greek for winged (pteró) fingers (daktylos). The daktylos part is what we need to remember right now.


You're right about the hexagon part too —"hex" is Greek for six, of course. That six-sided shape has something in common with the ancient Greek metrical scheme, which is made up of six "feet," or rhythmic units per line (just as iambic pentameter was made up of five — think pentagon).

Here's the thing about fingers: look at your pointer finger:
Notice it has one long section and two short ones. This is your clue to the dactyl part of dactylic hexameter:

The rhythm goes like this: long-short-short / long-short-short / long-short-short, etc. There are six "feet" in one line of Homeric verse — six, as in "hex."

But there's a trick at the end of the line! Just as all our fingers don't have three sections, neither do the feet of dactylic hexameter. The last foot is a thumb, otherwise known as a "spondee." How many sections in a thumb? Two — just like a spondee, which has two beats, usually long-long.

So, in short, dactylic hexameter is a metrical scheme in poetry which is made up of six (hex) feet, most of which are dactyls (like fingers: long-short-short).

Here's a mnemonic device for you: the very word "poetry" is itself a dactyl (thanks to Will Shortz of NY Times Crossword fame for, er, pointing this out).

The Wood-sawyer

In chapter 5 Dr. Manette tells Lucie about a window that she might be able to catch a glimpse of Darnay. She waits at the window for hours every day. A rather strange man who is a prior mender of the roads but is currently a wood sawyer talks to Lucie, they are complete opposites. Lucie is so fragile and innocent. But the wood sawyer is very violent and blood thirsty. He pretends that every time he cuts a piece of wood with his saw he is cutting a prisoners head off with a guillotine, he gave his saw the nickname little Sainte guillotine. One day a group of people are dancing a violent dance in the street. While Dr. Manette is comforting her he tells her that Darnay will be tried the next day.

In chapter 5 Lucie and Dr. Manette realize how cruel the revolutionists are. do you think the significance of the wood sawyer is, Literally and symbolically? and why do you think the wood sawyer calls his saw little saint guillotine? Also the wood sawyer is an old mender of the roads, do you think he could have a connection with the mender of the roads who witnessed the man under the marquis carriage?

Book III Chapters 3 and 4:

In chapter 3, Mr. Lorry, obsessed with protecting his "business" feels the need to usher Lucie, Miss Pross, and little Lucie out of Tellson's Bank.  He finds the two a home with blinds to make it look as thought the house is vacant and has Jerry go there to keep them safe.  Once Lorry arrives back at the bank, Monsieur DeFarge tells Mr. Lorry that he has a message from Dr. Manette.  The letter instructs Lorry to lead Mr. DeFarge to Lucie.  On the way there, Mme. DeFarge and The Vengeance join them.  Lorry agrees to have the two women accompany them, under the notion that Mme. DeFarge is only trying to familiarize herself with the faces of the mother and daughter to protect them better.  The DeFarges hand a letter from Darnay over to Lucie, which causes her to cry and beg for his mercy for her own and her daughter's sake.  However, Madame does not feel sympathy as she explains that she has seen similar situations for her whole life and is unmoved by the sadness.

In chapter 4, Dr. Manette finally returns from La Force, with a newfound spirit and power that had never been seen in him before.  During his time in Paris, he has persuaded the Tribunal to keep Darnay alive longer.  Manette also secured a job as the physician in three prisons in France, one of which is La Force. The time he spends in Paris, he feels, should keep Darnay safe.  Darnay remains alive for a year and three months as the time flies in France with "La Guillotine" at work.


I thought that these chapters were very powerful, especially chapter 3.  The tension between Mme. Defarge and Luice really shows how hateful Madame is towards the aristocracy.  Lucie, although she shows incredible compassion and seems to be begging DeFarge not to kill Darnay for the sake of her child, Madame is completely composed, and does not give in to her pleads.

" 'We have borne this a long time,' said Madame Defarge, turning her eyes again upon Lucie.  'Judge you!  Is it likely that the trouble of one wife and mother would be much to us now?' "

To me, this is one of the most powerful quotes we've read so far.  This portrays exactly how cold Madame is.  Her hate towards the upper class is so bad that she isn't even moved by the sadness of a "wife and mother," especially when she herself will be responsible for killing Darnay.

Chapter 4, though less interesting to me also seemed to mark a turning point.  As stated in the text, Manette and Lucie seem to have switched places.

" ...and required them as the weak [Darnay and Lucie], to trust him as the strong.  The preceding relative positions of him and Lucie were reversed..."

I thought that this was not only an important quote, but it perfectly describes the situation.  It really was made clear to me just how badly Lucie is taking Darnay's absence.  According to this quote it is so bad that she has been reduced to a nervous wreck, the same way Manette acted while in his "state."  On the contrary, Manette has become somewhat of a messenger for Darnay, and is an active person again.  His new job and involvement in the revolution (not so much involvement as being in the middle of the action) has given him the strength and energy that Lucie had in her prime.

***I apologize for this post's length, but I was writing on two chapters so there was a lot of information to include.***

Book The Third, In Secret

Charles Darnay has arrived in France and is finding travel very difficult. Revolutionaries constantly stop and question him, and upon arriving in Paris he is captured and put in a prison called, "La Force." It is in this prison that Darnay finally comes to terms with the reality and danger of his situation. "'You are consigned, Evremond, to the prison of La Force.' 'Just Heaven!'" exclaimed Darnay, "Under what law, and for what offence?' 'We have new laws, Evremonde, and new offences, since you were here.' He said it with a hard smile." pg.256. The guard then hands Darnay over to Defarge, where he wonders aloud why Darnay would choose to visit France during the time of "that sharp female newly-bourn...called La Guillotine." pg. 259. Darnay begs Defarge to help him but he refuses by saying that his duty is now to his people. Eventually Darnay is taken to the prison and is welcomed there by a fellow prisoner that says he hops Darnay won't be kept, "in secret." Unfortunately for Darnay he is left in solitary confinement and we leave him in his cell measuring, "five paces by four and a half." pg. 262.

I think that this chapter has a lot to say about how France has changed over the last three years. Its also shown that Defarge has no mercy for Darnay, even if he is Lucies husband. Do you think that prison will break Darnay like it did Doctor Manette, or have any idea how he will escape? Also, what would you have done in Defarges position, save your friend or stick to your cause?

Book II Review

Chapter 14 "The Honest Tradesman"
- Jerry Cruncher
- Big funeral of Roger Cly, a spy, "servant" of John Barsad.
- Excuse for mob to plunder, ransack, get their anger out. (157)
- Jerry Cruncher goes to dig up a grave, Jerry Jr ("Lil' J)
follows him, and then asks his father what a "A Resurrection Man" is. His father tells him that it is an "Honest Tradesman."
- Jerry says he's digging up bodies for science.

Chapter 15 "Knitting" (Dawson)
-Back to France. The brewing of the revolution.
- Flashback when we learn that the man who killed the Marquis is the one whose son was killed by his carriage by the fountain.
- We learn this through the mender of roads.
- We learn that Mme. DeFarge has been knitting a coded list of crimes of the aristocrats. It's like a hit-list. The DeFarges take the mender of roads to see the King and Queen, and he is impressed by the grandeur.

Chapter 16 "Still Knitting"   (Robert)

- a new spy appears, John Barsad, an Englishman.
- Madame Defarge adds his name to her register, her knitting.
- Madame Defarge uses a rose as a symbol to the "Jacques" that it's not safe to talk in the wine shop.
- The Defarges learn that Charles Darnay is the Marquis of Evremonde, and that he is to be married to Lucie Manette.
- Darnay's name is also entered into the register.



Chapters 17 and 18 "One Night" and "Nine Days" (Alden)

Ch. 17, eve of Lucie's wedding
Lucie and her father have their last night together, slightly sad for Dr. Manette.
- He tells Lucie of his days in prison, and how real his imagined vision of his child was.
Ch. 18, actual  wedding, Charles Darnay  reveals his name to Dr. Manette.
Lucie and Darnay leave for honeymoon.
Dr. Manette becomes depressed because of what he has learned about Darnay.
- He gets out his workbench and starts making shoes.


Chapter 19 "An Opinion" (Avery)

- After 10 days of Dr. Manette in his "state" he returns to normal.
- Mr. Lorry asks Dr. Manette his opinion about a hypothetical situation that mirrors Manette's.
- later, Manette goes away, and Miss Pross and Mr. Lorry smash Dr. Manette's shoemaking kit.


Chapter 20 "A Plea" (Thomas)
Lucie and Charles Darnay come back from their honeymoon.
They are visited by Sydney Carton. He asks for Darnays's forgiveness for his drunkenness .
Carton asks for Darnay's friendship.
After Carton leaves, Charles talks about Carton's "carelessness and recklessness."
Lucie defends Carton.
'God bless her for her sweet compassion."

Chapter 21 "Echoing Footsteps" (Megan)
Three years have passed. Lucie and Darnay have a girl and a boy, but lose the boy in infancy.
Stryver has married and has three stepchildren.
We hear the echoing footsteps  again.

Then we skip to France.
The fall of the Bastille, they go to the North Tower of the Bastille.
They march out the governor, he is killed by Madame Defarge, decapitates him, his head is paraded on a stick.
Quote "Work ..." P. 218

Chapter 22 "The Sea Still Rises"

We meet "The Vengeance"
Old Foulon, who told the peasants that if they were hungry they could eat grass, been found.
Defarge returns to St. Antoine with news that Foulon had staged his own funeral.
The crowd finds him, hangs him, and stuffs his mouth with grass.

Chapter 23 "Fire Rises"
-In the village of the Marquis of Evremonde's chateau, the mender of the roads meets a traveler, who promises that something will happen that night.
- The chateau is set on fire, and we have the image (p. 234) of one of the stone faces on the building looking "as if it were the face of the cruel Marquis, burning at the stake and contending with the fire."
Mr. Gabelle is accosted by the crowd, spends the night on his roof, and eventually is captured.

Chapter 24 "Drawn to the Loadstone Rock" (Jaz)
(See Jaz's post for summary)
- Lorry takes Jerry Cruncher with him to Paris (p. 239)
- 242 - Stryver speaks against the Marquis of Evremonde, when the letter from Gabelle is being discussed, for abandoning his property to "the vilest scum of the earth that ever did murder by wholesale."
- Darnay leaves for France, and on the boat he thinks about the quote from Gabelle's letter: "For the love of Heaven, of justice, of generosity, of the honour of your noble name!"


Book II, Chapter 1 "In Secret" (Ross)

Chapter 24- Drawn to the Loadstone Rock

During this chapter, three years have passed and the revolution in France continues. Tellsons bank has now become a place to hang out for French aristocrats, so it also is a place to hear of news from France. The chapter opens with Charles Darnay attempting to convince Mr. Lorry not to leave for Tellson’s Paris branch. Later, Mr. Lorry receives a letter addressed to the Marquis of Evremonde. Since no one is aware that Darnay is the Marquis, he pretends to know him, and secretly reads the letter. It is from a servant, Gabelle, who is asking for help. Charles Darnay decides to go to France to help Gabelle, but does not inform Lucie or Dr. Manette of his plans.

I think this chapter is the beginning of Frances issues affecting the characters in England. With Charles Darnay leaving, his life is in danger, and the life of his family is altered. I believe that something terrible is being planned for Darnay, and Carton will either take his place, or he will care for Lucie and Dr. Manette.