Mr. Stryver, a London barrister who represents Charles Darnay, is described in Chapter IV, "Congratulatory," as a man a little over thirty who looks twenty years older. Dickens also says of Mr. Stryver, "he was, stout, loud, red, bluff, and free from any drawback of delicacy." In other words, Mr. Stryver is abrasive and does not show any delicacy of manners. He also shoulders himself, physically and otherwise, into conversations, so he is aggressive and gets involved where he does not belong. In other words, he is a striver, or someone who is always trying to advance in life. Later, he is described as being "too big for any place." The reader gets the idea that Mr. Stryver is always loud and abrasive.
Mr. Stryver is also described as having "Bacchanalian propensities." In other words, even while he is "shouldering" his way into a well-paying legal practice, he still finds plenty of time to drink. Even though he spends many nights out drinking with Sydney Carton, he is still sharp and ready for the court.
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