--- 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 fem..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/charles-dickens-34_guillotine_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_725513.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.” quote by Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/charles-dickens-34_guillotine_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_725513.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/charles-dickens-34_guillotine_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_725513.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/charles-dickens-34_guillotine_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_725513.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.”” [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. The quote likens the guillotine to a terrifying yet familiar symbol of revolutionary justice that has become part of the collective consciousness. **In simple terms:** The guillotine is a feared, familiar symbol of revolutionary power. Key Takeaway Recognize how symbols shape public perception. Themes revolution justice symbolism fear history Mood somber reflective critical Type historical political literary When to use this quote - public speeches - historical analysis - education - media commentary - artistic representation Key Concepts political power collective memory violence Questions to Reflect On - How do symbols influence societal attitudes? - Can familiar symbols be reinterpreted positively? A Different Perspective The symbol can also inspire resistance or be misused for propaganda. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Figure Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figure-grew-861306/) [Guillotine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guillotine/) [Hideous Figure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hideous-figure-4048878/) [La Guillotine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/la-guillotine-4048876/) [Sharp Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharp-female-5693348/) ## 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 -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-familiar-as-if-it-had-been-2/) [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/) > [“This gigantic figure grew effortlessly in his dream, emerging from the deceptively eternal expanse of the horizon; it was like a truth that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sten-nadolny/this-gigantic-figure-grew-effortlessly-in-his-dream-emerging-from-the/) [Sten Nadolny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sten-nadolny/) > [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/) > [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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 Guillotine quotes > [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/) > [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/) > [“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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardine-kielty/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [Somewhere within the concept of justice, the worst of the guilty must always be removed. I cannot divorce this, not completely. The people must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/somewhere-within-the-concept-of-justice-the-worst-of-the-guilty-must/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [The old farm roads a four lane that leads to the mall, and our dreams are all guillotines waiting to fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/the-old-farm-roads-a-four-lane-that-leads-to-the-mall-and-our-dreams/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [In France, the leader of Jacobinism perished on the guillotine; with us, the change of leadership was achieved by means of arrest and banishment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/in-france-the-leader-of-jacobinism-perished-on-the-guillotine-with-us/) [Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/) > [Farewell, my children, forever. I go to your Father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-antoinette/farewell-my-children-forever-i-go-to-your-father/) [Marie Antoinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-antoinette/) [Browse all 86 Guillotine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guillotine/) ```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.”", "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/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Guillotine" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-familiar-as-if-it-had-been/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/charles-dickens-34_guillotine_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_725513.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/charles-dickens-34_guillotine_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_725513.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/521/charles-dickens-34_guillotine_above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-fam_725513.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/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/above-all-one-hideous-figure-grew-as-familiar-as-if-it-had-been/#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 } } ] } ```