--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Above all, one hideous figure grew as…" description: "\"Above all, one hideous figure grew as familiar as if it had been before the general gaze from the foundations of the world - the figure of the sharp fe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/charles-dickens-34_complexion_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_2889360.jpg" --- # Above all, one hideous figure grew as familiar as if it… ![“Above all, one hideous figure grew as familiar as if it had been before the general gaze from the foundations of the world - the figure of the sharp female called La Guillotine. It was the popular theme for jests; it was the best cure for headache, it infallibly prevented hair from turning gray…” quote by Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/charles-dickens-34_complexion_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_2889360.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/charles-dickens-34_complexion_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_2889360.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/charles-dickens-34_complexion_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_2889360.jpg) > “Above all, one hideous figure grew as familiar as if it had been before the general gaze from the foundations of the world - the figure of the sharp female called La Guillotine. It was the popular theme for jests; it was the best cure for headache, it infallibly prevented hair from turning gray, it imparted a peculiar delicacy to the complexion, it was the National Razor which shaved close: who kissed La Guillotine looked through the little window and sneezed into the sack.” [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dark humor uses absurdity to critique societal fears and the allure of violent symbols. **In simple terms:** Satire mocks fear of death and the fascination with execution. Key Takeaway Recognize absurdity in sensationalism. Themes satire death political commentary fear Mood wry critical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - political discourse - media sensationalism - public health crises Key Concepts social critique literary humor Questions to Reflect On - What symbols do we glorify without questioning? - How does satire reveal hidden anxieties? A Different Perspective Humor can trivialize serious issues if misused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Above all, one hideous figure grew as familiar as if it had been before the general gaze from the foundations of the world—the figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-familiar-as-if-it-had-been/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Along the Paris streets, the death-carts rumble, hollow and harsh. Six tumbrils carry the day's wine to La Guillotine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/along-the-paris-streets-the-death-carts-rumble-hollow-and-harsh-six/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“I’m not like that fellow who thought it a far, far better thing to trade his life for that of another. I’m nothing like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-m-not-like-that-fellow-who-thought-it-a-far-far-better-thing-to/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [Liberty, equality, fraternity, or death; - the last, much the easiest to bestow, O Guillotine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/liberty-equality-fraternity-or-death-the-last-much-the-easiest-to/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The guillotine was most effective and used until fairly recently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-lom/the-guillotine-was-most-effective-and-used-until-fairly-recently/) [Herbert Lom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-lom/) > [In the sunset of dissolution, everything is illuminated by the aura of nostalgia, even the guillotine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/in-the-sunset-of-dissolution-everything-is-illuminated-by-the-aura-of/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Idealists and reformers all become executioners in their turn. The road to utopia ends with the steps of the scaffold, the endless moment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/idealists-and-reformers-all-become-executioners-in-their-turn-the/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [Ever since my childhood, I was haunted by the search for perfection. An imperfectly cut paper literally made me ill. I would guillotine it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-arp/ever-since-my-childhood-i-was-haunted-by-the-search-for-perfection-an/) [Hans Arp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-arp/) > [I feel really, really comfortable with chokes, with my guillotine, especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-moreno/i-feel-really-really-comfortable-with-chokes-with-my-guillotine/) [Brandon Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-moreno/) > [Why is it I feel a new nostalgia for the era of the guillotine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-cooper/why-is-it-i-feel-a-new-nostalgia-for-the-era-of-the-guillotine/) [Dennis Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-cooper/) > [Part of my platform is, of course, the guilty must be punished and that we no longer let our children see their guilty leaders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/part-of-my-platform-is-of-course-the-guilty-must-be-punished-and-that/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [“Terror, terror, terror. Life was a reign of terror, in the shadow of the guillotine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/terror-terror-terror-life-was-a-reign-of-terror-in-the-shadow-of-the/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Louis XVI--Louis Capet--was led to the guillotine in the Place de la Revolution by Santerre, the brewer. Louis stepped firmly and resolutely up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardine-kielty/louis-xvi-louis-capet-was-led-to-the-guillotine-in-the-place-de-la/) Bernardine Kielty > [Faith, like a guillotine. As heavy, as light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/faith-like-a-guillotine-as-heavy-as-light/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Forget the noose. Forget the Iron Maiden. Forget the electric chair or the guillotine. The mind was mankind's most painful torture chamber, the blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/forget-the-noose-forget-the-iron-maiden-forget-the-electric-chair-or/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) ## More by Charles Dickens > [“All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretences did I cheat myself. Surely a curious thing. That I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/all-other-swindlers-upon-earth-are-nothing-to-the-self-swindlers-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [... Arthur Gride, whose bleared eyes gloated only over the outward beauties, and were blind to the spirit which reigned within, evinced - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/arthur-gride-whose-bleared-eyes-gloated-only-over-the-outward/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [There can be no disparity in marriage like unsuitability of mind and purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-can-be-no-disparity-in-marriage-like-unsuitability-of-mind-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Mrs. Joe was a very clean housekeeper, but had an exquisite art of making her cleanliness more uncomfortable and unacceptable than dirt itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mrs-joe-was-a-very-clean-housekeeper-but-had-an-exquisite-art-of/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“evening, they began to think that although he could never hope to be an Englishman, still it would be hard to visit that affliction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/evening-they-began-to-think-that-although-he-could-never-hope-to-be/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Besides which, all that I could have said of the Story to any purpose, I had endeavoured to say in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/besides-which-all-that-i-could-have-said-of-the-story-to-any-purpose/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The wheels rolled on, and rolled down by the Monument, and by the Tower; and by the Docks; down by Ratcliffe, and by Rotherhithe;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-wheels-rolled-on-and-rolled-down-by-the-monument-and-by-the-tower/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The three customers pulled off their hats to Madame Defarge, with three flourishes. She acknowledged their homage by bending her head, and giving them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-three-customers-pulled-off-their-hats-to-madame-defarge-with/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“What a situation!' cried Miss Squeers; '...What is the reason that men fall in love with me, whether I like it or not, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/what-a-situation-cried-miss-squeers-what-is-the-reason-that-men-fall/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Mr. Pickwick was a philosopher, but philosophers are only men in armour, after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mr-pickwick-was-a-philosopher-but-philosophers-are-only-men-in-armour/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) [Explore all 2,309 Charles Dickens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) ## More Complexion quotes > [White lies always introduce others of a darker complexion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-paley/white-lies-always-introduce-others-of-a-darker-complexion/) [William S. Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-paley/) > [Nearly all the Gauls are of a lofty stature, white, and of ruddy complexion; terrible from the sternness of their eyes, very quarrelsome, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ammianus-marcellinus/nearly-all-the-gauls-are-of-a-lofty-stature-white-and-of-ruddy/) [Ammianus Marcellinus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ammianus-marcellinus/) > [We often see discrimination on the basis of color and complexion in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binnu-dhillon/we-often-see-discrimination-on-the-basis-of-color-and-complexion-in/) [Binnu Dhillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binnu-dhillon/) > [But for real, for me, I feel like with the red lipstick thing it all depends on the pair of complexion. I'm just being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asap-rocky/but-for-real-for-me-i-feel-like-with-the-red-lipstick-thing-it-all/) [ASAP Rocky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asap-rocky/) > [Courage, my boy! that is the complexion of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/courage-my-boy-that-is-the-complexion-of-virtue/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [My complexion is delicate, so I have to use things that won't irritate it. I switch moisturisers often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gisele-bundchen/my-complexion-is-delicate-so-i-have-to-use-things-that-won-t-irritate/) [Gisele Bundchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gisele-bundchen/) > [“Bunny Sue was nineteen. She had honey-bobbed hair and candid, near-insolent green eyes. She had a snub, delightful nose, a cool, regal, and tapering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-exley/bunny-sue-was-nineteen-she-had-honey-bobbed-hair-and-candid-near/) [Frederick Exley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-exley/) > [Great geniuses have the shortest biographies. Their cousins can tell you nothing about them. They lived in their writings, and sotheir house and street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/great-geniuses-have-the-shortest-biographies-their-cousins-can-tell/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [running is the right thing to do! I am free, healthy with a good complexion. It is that automobile addict who should be ashamed:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-ueland/running-is-the-right-thing-to-do-i-am-free-healthy-with-a-good/) [Brenda Ueland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-ueland/) > [The dragon-fly is dancing,— Is on the water glancing, She flits about with nimble wing, The flickering, fluttering, restless thing. Besotted chafers all admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-heine/the-dragon-fly-is-dancing-is-on-the-water-glancing-she-flits-about/) [Heinrich Heine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-heine/) > [His name is 'Mr. Spock.' And the first view of him can be almost frightening - a face so heavy-lidded and satanic you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/his-name-is-mr-spock-and-the-first-view-of-him-can-be-almost/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [Good humor, like the jaundice, makes every one of its own complexion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-inchbald/good-humor-like-the-jaundice-makes-every-one-of-its-own-complexion/) [Elizabeth Inchbald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-inchbald/) > [I made the decision to turn pro, and I remember what Ali said to me: 'Get Angelo Dundee. He's the right complexion with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/i-made-the-decision-to-turn-pro-and-i-remember-what-ali-said-to-me/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [Getting the blood moving through your body does do wonders for your complexion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/getting-the-blood-moving-through-your-body-does-do-wonders-for-your/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [There is no beautifier of complexion, or form, or behavior, like the wish to scatter joy and not pain around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-no-beautifier-of-complexion-or-form-or-behavior-like-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) Browse all 140 Complexion quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Above all, one hideous figure grew as familiar as if it had been before the general gaze from the foundations of the world - the figure of the sharp female called La Guillotine. It was the popular theme for jests; it was the best cure for headache, it infallibly prevented hair from turning gray, it imparted a peculiar delicacy to the complexion, it was the National Razor which shaved close: who kissed La Guillotine looked through the little window and sneezed into the sack.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Dickens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-familiar-as-if-it-had-been-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Complexion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-familiar-as-if-it-had-been-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/charles-dickens-34_complexion_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_2889360.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/charles-dickens-34_complexion_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_2889360.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b52/charles-dickens-34_complexion_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_2889360.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Above all, one hideous figure grew as familiar as if it had been before the general gaze from the…” — Charles Dickens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Dickens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Above all, one hideous figure grew...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-familiar-as-if-it-had-been-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-familiar-as-if-it-had-been-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```