--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Commence,” was Monsieur Defarge’s not…" description: "\"“Commence,” was Monsieur Defarge’s not unreasonable reply, “at the commencement.”\" — Charles Dickens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/charles-dickens-34_commence_commence-was-monsieur-defarge-s-not-unre_2576935.jpg" --- # Commence,” was Monsieur Defarge’s not unreasonable reply… ![“Commence,” was Monsieur Defarge’s not unreasonable reply, “at the commencement.” quote by Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/charles-dickens-34_commence_commence-was-monsieur-defarge-s-not-unre_2576935.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/charles-dickens-34_commence_commence-was-monsieur-defarge-s-not-unre_2576935.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/charles-dickens-34_commence_commence-was-monsieur-defarge-s-not-unre_2576935.jpg) > ““Commence,” was Monsieur Defarge’s not unreasonable reply, “at the commencement.”” [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. Monsieur Defarge’s reply is a tautological command to begin at the start **In simple terms:** A literal instruction to start at the beginning Key Takeaway Begin at the obvious starting point Themes communication logic humor Mood wry intellectual Type literary humorous When to use this quote - reading classic literature - analyzing dialogue Key Concepts paradox language literary device Questions to Reflect On - Why use redundancy for emphasis? - What effect does this have on tone? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Commence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commence/) [Commencement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commencement/) ## Related quotes > [“How goes it, Jacques?" said one of these three to Monsieur Defarge. "Is all the spilt wine swallowed?" "Every drop, Jacques,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/how-goes-it-jacques-said-one-of-these-three-to-monsieur-defarge-is/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“It is not often," said the second of the three, addressing Monsieur Defarge, "that many of these miserable beasts know the taste of wine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-is-not-often-said-the-second-of-the-three-addressing-monsieur/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Thus engaged, with her right elbow supported by her left hand, Madame Defarge said nothing when her lord came in, but coughed just one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/thus-engaged-with-her-right-elbow-supported-by-her-left-hand-madame/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“No vivacious Bacchanalian flame leaped out of the pressed grape of Monsieur Defarge: but, a smouldering fire that burnt in the dark lay hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/no-vivacious-bacchanalian-flame-leaped-out-of-the-pressed-grape-of/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The beginning seems bitter to you, but the end is sweeter for you. However, you can’t get through to the end without having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-beginning-seems-bitter-to-you-but-the-end-is-sweeter-for-you/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Beginning in itself has no value, it is an end which makes beginning meaningful, we must end what we begun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/beginning-in-itself-has-no-value-it-is-an-end-which-makes-beginning/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“Dream big dreams, but start small. A journey of thousand steps begins with a step.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/dream-big-dreams-but-start-small-a-journey-of-thousand-steps-begins/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Of your own indefatigable labor from early dawn and of your explicit instructions, that the batteries should reserve their ammunition, until the grand charge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bigelow/of-your-own-indefatigable-labor-from-early-dawn-and-of-your-explicit/) John Bigelow > [Oh, goodie. Let the bloodbath commence. (Zarek)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/oh-goodie-let-the-bloodbath-commence-zarek/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Words are the litmus paper of the minds. If you find yourself in the power of someone who will use the word "commence" in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/words-are-the-litmus-paper-of-the-minds-if-you-find-yourself-in-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Let the battle for peace commence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/let-the-battle-for-peace-commence/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“But this night is not through. We’ve made love. And now, to the bed, where the f\*cking will commence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-featherstone/but-this-night-is-not-through-we-ve-made-love-and-now-to-the-bed/) [Charlotte Featherstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-featherstone/) > [“Simon says… commence freak out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-ward/simon-says-commence-freak-out/) [Penelope Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-ward/) > [“Waiters and quitters have a little difference; quitters begin well but do not finish it; waiters do not begin it at all. Don’t be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/waiters-and-quitters-have-a-little-difference-quitters-begin-well-but/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Quitters don’t gain what they have started working on; waiters don’t start what they could have gained. What is common there is failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/quitters-don-t-gain-what-they-have-started-working-on-waiters-don-t/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## 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 Commence quotes > [“Quitters don’t gain what they have started working on; waiters don’t start what they could have gained. What is common there is failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/quitters-don-t-gain-what-they-have-started-working-on-waiters-don-t/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Waiters and quitters have a little difference; quitters begin well but do not finish it; waiters do not begin it at all. Don’t be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/waiters-and-quitters-have-a-little-difference-quitters-begin-well-but/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Simon says… commence freak out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-ward/simon-says-commence-freak-out/) [Penelope Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-ward/) > [“But this night is not through. We’ve made love. And now, to the bed, where the f\*cking will commence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-featherstone/but-this-night-is-not-through-we-ve-made-love-and-now-to-the-bed/) [Charlotte Featherstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-featherstone/) > [“Let the battle for peace commence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/let-the-battle-for-peace-commence/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Words are the litmus paper of the minds. If you find yourself in the power of someone who will use the word "commence" in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/words-are-the-litmus-paper-of-the-minds-if-you-find-yourself-in-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Oh, goodie. Let the bloodbath commence. (Zarek)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/oh-goodie-let-the-bloodbath-commence-zarek/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Of your own indefatigable labor from early dawn and of your explicit instructions, that the batteries should reserve their ammunition, until the grand charge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bigelow/of-your-own-indefatigable-labor-from-early-dawn-and-of-your-explicit/) John Bigelow > [“Dream big dreams, but start small. A journey of thousand steps begins with a step.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/dream-big-dreams-but-start-small-a-journey-of-thousand-steps-begins/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Beginning in itself has no value, it is an end which makes beginning meaningful, we must end what we begun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/beginning-in-itself-has-no-value-it-is-an-end-which-makes-beginning/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“Money is not the priority. A step to dream big and planning of your dreams is a premier action that will see you through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/money-is-not-the-priority-a-step-to-dream-big-and-planning-of-your/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“The beginning seems bitter to you, but the end is sweeter for you. However, you can’t get through to the end without having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-beginning-seems-bitter-to-you-but-the-end-is-sweeter-for-you/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [All men will commence in their present rank and promotion will be open to all men alike, without any distinctions or qualifications, political or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-amery/all-men-will-commence-in-their-present-rank-and-promotion-will-be/) [John Amery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-amery/) > [I really think I shall commence chapter forty-four," he said, patting his hands together. "I shall commence, I think, with a slight exaggeration and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/i-really-think-i-shall-commence-chapter-forty-four-he-said-patting/) [Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/) > [Rwanda, which is one of the younger independent states in Africa, must be regarded as a model of how great human trauma can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/rwanda-which-is-one-of-the-younger-independent-states-in-africa-must/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) [Browse all 28 Commence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Commence,” was Monsieur Defarge’s not unreasonable reply, “at the commencement.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Dickens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/commence-was-monsieur-defarge-s-not-unreasonable-reply-at-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Commence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/commence-was-monsieur-defarge-s-not-unreasonable-reply-at-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/charles-dickens-34_commence_commence-was-monsieur-defarge-s-not-unre_2576935.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/charles-dickens-34_commence_commence-was-monsieur-defarge-s-not-unre_2576935.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad6/charles-dickens-34_commence_commence-was-monsieur-defarge-s-not-unre_2576935.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Commence,” was Monsieur Defarge’s not unreasonable reply, “at the commencement.” — 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": "“Commence,” was Monsieur Defarge’s not unreasonable...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/commence-was-monsieur-defarge-s-not-unreasonable-reply-at-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/commence-was-monsieur-defarge-s-not-unreasonable-reply-at-the/#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 } } ] } ```