Women and Revolution

After finishing Book II of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, I have come to a conclusion about women during the French Revolution. At first they were depicted as innocent, sweet beings who did nothing all day but knit. Well, this imaged changed drastically when Madame Defarge whips out her ax and just goes at everything in sight. To me, though she may have a little on the too violent side, this was how women should have responded to this type of situation back then. They shouldn't have just sat around like victims, doing nothing about the situation. They should be by their husbands sides supporting and protecting their families and themselves. I sort of look up to Madame Defarge in a way because of her bravery and her actions. She wasn't the typical woman  during that time and stood up for what she believed in and for what she wanted. This is what I imagine Madame Defarge looks like: