--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those darling byegone times, Mr Carker,'…" description: "\"“Those darling byegone times, Mr Carker,' said Cleopatra, 'with their delicious fortresses, and their dear old dungeons, and their delightful places of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/charles-dickens-34_fortresses_those-darling-byegone-times-mr-carker-sa_1093724.jpg" --- # Those darling byegone times, Mr Carker,' said Cleopatra… ![“Those darling byegone times, Mr Carker,' said Cleopatra, 'with their delicious fortresses, and their dear old dungeons, and their delightful places of torture, and their romantic vengeances, and their picturesque assaults and sieges, and everything that makes life truly charming! How dreadfully we…” quote by Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/charles-dickens-34_fortresses_those-darling-byegone-times-mr-carker-sa_1093724.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/charles-dickens-34_fortresses_those-darling-byegone-times-mr-carker-sa_1093724.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dba/charles-dickens-34_fortresses_those-darling-byegone-times-mr-carker-sa_1093724.jpg) > ““Those darling byegone times, Mr Carker,' said Cleopatra, 'with their delicious fortresses, and their dear old dungeons, and their delightful places of torture, and their romantic vengeances, and their picturesque assaults and sieges, and everything that makes life truly charming! How dreadfully we have degenerated!”” [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 speaker laments modern decay, romanticizing past eras' dramatic and brutal aspects as more authentic and exciting. **In simple terms:** Nostalgia for violent, dramatic past over bland present. Key Takeaway Embrace the richness of history, not just its comforts. Themes nostalgia history romanticism decay culture Mood reflective melancholic critical Type literary historical philosophical When to use this quote - museum curation - historical reenactments - literary analysis - theatrical productions - heritage tourism Key Concepts historical romanticism cultural critique nostalgic idealism Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of the past do we idealize and why? - How can we appreciate history without glorifying its cruelty? A Different Perspective Modern life may lack the depth and narrative tension of past struggles, but glorifying violence can be problematic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fortresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortresses/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Irony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irony/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Medieval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medieval/) [Middle ages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-ages/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [As Anthony said to Cleopatra as he opened a crate of ale: "Oh, I say, some girls are bigger than others, Some girls' mothers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/as-anthony-said-to-cleopatra-as-he-opened-a-crate-of-ale-oh-i-say/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [The truth is very few of us are related to Napoleon or Cleopatra. Although, those are bad examples as I am actually descended from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-piddock/the-truth-is-very-few-of-us-are-related-to-napoleon-or-cleopatra/) [Jim Piddock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-piddock/) > [“Cleopatra's nose, had it been shorter, the whole face of the world would have been changed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/cleopatra-s-nose-had-it-been-shorter-the-whole-face-of-the-world/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The interesting thing about Cleopatra is that she is such a shape-shifter. I mean through history we've all molded her to our times and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/the-interesting-thing-about-cleopatra-is-that-she-is-such-a-shape/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“History existed to be retold, with more panache but not necessarily greater accuracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/history-existed-to-be-retold-with-more-panache-but-not-necessarily/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Cleopatra stood at one of the most dangerous intersections in history; that of women and power. Clever women, Euripides had warned hundreds of years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/cleopatra-stood-at-one-of-the-most-dangerous-intersections-in-history/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“Against a powerful enchantress there is no contest. Against a woman who ensnares a man in the coils of her serpentine intelligence - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/against-a-powerful-enchantress-there-is-no-contest-against-a-woman/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See How I convey my shame out of thine eyes By looking back what I have left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-whither-hast-thou-led-me-egypt-see-how-i-convey-my-shame-out-of/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love; we cannot call her winds and waters, sighs and tears; they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/her-passions-are-made-of-nothing-but-the-finest-part-of-pure-love-we/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Girls have always wanted to be pretty, even in Egyptian times. Cleopatra wore all that eyeliner, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-ora/girls-have-always-wanted-to-be-pretty-even-in-egyptian-times/) [Rita Ora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-ora/) > [No one in the modern world controls the wealth or territory that Cleopatra did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/no-one-in-the-modern-world-controls-the-wealth-or-territory-that/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [What we know about Cleopatra's looks is based purely on her coin portraits. Engraving was imperfect, and that when you are a ruler and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/what-we-know-about-cleopatra-s-looks-is-based-purely-on-her-coin/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Vanity is illustrated in the cause and effect of love, as in the case of Cleopatra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/vanity-is-illustrated-in-the-cause-and-effect-of-love-as-in-the-case/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [I'm certainly no Cleopatra. I have legs like a schoolgirl and I don't know how I acquired the knack of attracting producers with very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-tushingham/i-m-certainly-no-cleopatra-i-have-legs-like-a-schoolgirl-and-i-don-t/) [Rita Tushingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-tushingham/) > [“There's beggary in the love that can be reckoned. (Anthony and Cleopatra - William Shakespeare.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-stuart/there-s-beggary-in-the-love-that-can-be-reckoned-anthony-and/) Sarah Stuart ## 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 Cleopatra quotes > [“There's beggary in the love that can be reckoned. (Anthony and Cleopatra - William Shakespeare.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-stuart/there-s-beggary-in-the-love-that-can-be-reckoned-anthony-and/) Sarah Stuart > [I'm certainly no Cleopatra. I have legs like a schoolgirl and I don't know how I acquired the knack of attracting producers with very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-tushingham/i-m-certainly-no-cleopatra-i-have-legs-like-a-schoolgirl-and-i-don-t/) [Rita Tushingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-tushingham/) > [Vanity is illustrated in the cause and effect of love, as in the case of Cleopatra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/vanity-is-illustrated-in-the-cause-and-effect-of-love-as-in-the-case/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [What we know about Cleopatra's looks is based purely on her coin portraits. Engraving was imperfect, and that when you are a ruler and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/what-we-know-about-cleopatra-s-looks-is-based-purely-on-her-coin/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [No one in the modern world controls the wealth or territory that Cleopatra did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/no-one-in-the-modern-world-controls-the-wealth-or-territory-that/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Girls have always wanted to be pretty, even in Egyptian times. Cleopatra wore all that eyeliner, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-ora/girls-have-always-wanted-to-be-pretty-even-in-egyptian-times/) [Rita Ora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-ora/) > [“Her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love; we cannot call her winds and waters, sighs and tears; they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/her-passions-are-made-of-nothing-but-the-finest-part-of-pure-love-we/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See How I convey my shame out of thine eyes By looking back what I have left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-whither-hast-thou-led-me-egypt-see-how-i-convey-my-shame-out-of/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Against a powerful enchantress there is no contest. Against a woman who ensnares a man in the coils of her serpentine intelligence - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/against-a-powerful-enchantress-there-is-no-contest-against-a-woman/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Cleopatra stood at one of the most dangerous intersections in history; that of women and power. Clever women, Euripides had warned hundreds of years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/cleopatra-stood-at-one-of-the-most-dangerous-intersections-in-history/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“History existed to be retold, with more panache but not necessarily greater accuracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/history-existed-to-be-retold-with-more-panache-but-not-necessarily/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [The interesting thing about Cleopatra is that she is such a shape-shifter. I mean through history we've all molded her to our times and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/the-interesting-thing-about-cleopatra-is-that-she-is-such-a-shape/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“Cleopatra's nose, had it been shorter, the whole face of the world would have been changed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/cleopatra-s-nose-had-it-been-shorter-the-whole-face-of-the-world/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The truth is very few of us are related to Napoleon or Cleopatra. Although, those are bad examples as I am actually descended from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-piddock/the-truth-is-very-few-of-us-are-related-to-napoleon-or-cleopatra/) [Jim Piddock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-piddock/) > [“Not romantic," she disagreed. "To me it would be romantic if Antony properly fell on his sword and kicked the bucket and Cleopatra escaped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-gantos/not-romantic-she-disagreed-to-me-it-would-be-romantic-if-antony/) [Jack Gantos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-gantos/) Browse all 89 Cleopatra quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Those darling byegone times, Mr Carker,' said Cleopatra, 'with their delicious fortresses, and their dear old dungeons, and their delightful places of torture, and their romantic vengeances, and their picturesque assaults and sieges, and everything that makes life truly charming! 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