Category: A Tale of Two Cities

Charles Darnay was accused in court of England for being a French spy he was defended by a gregarious lawyer named Stryver, but it is Sydney Carton, Stryver’s junior partner, who wins Charles Darnay’s case by pointing out that this could be a case of mistaken identity, making the point that even Darnay and Carton look very much alike. Darnay is acquitted. The justice system in England is complete with magic mirrors and smoke-and-dagger tricks,the English can’t brag about their court. But in French court Charles Darnay was unjustly imprisoned and sentenced to death because of the actions of his father and uncle, the Marquis St. Evermonde. In both cases, Charles Darnay is on trial, and in the most powerful of Dickensian plot developments, in both cases, it is Sydney Carton who works to free the accused. The background of the trial was as follows: Darnay was on trial in England for treason. The charges were vague and oddly presented, and if Darnay were convicted, he would have faced a horrible death. The tortures given to felons convicted of treason were much worse than the swift close shave of Madame Guillotine. For unclear reasons, Darnay seemed to have little clear evidence to prove his innocence. Despite a character reference from Lucie Manette, Darnay seems doomed until Sydney Carton steps forward and displays his incredible likeness to Darnay. Carton did not prove Darnay’s innocence, but he introduced an element of doubt. English justice had its flaws; the English system was prone to error; yet there were still legal and binding precedents and patterns that were useful to procuring true justice. The element of doubt as to the guilt of Darnay, displayed by the fact that no one could be sure that he was the actual guilty party, led to his acquittal.

The courtroom scene in England included crowds milling around, anxious to see a show rather than being concerned for justice. The seriousness of the charge (treason) and the near certainty of a conviction and execution created more of a circus atmosphere than a serious judicial proceeding. The flimsy evidence not withstanding, justice is maintained because of the possibility that Darnay’s accusers might be mistaken. A preponderance of evidence was lacking and an element of doubt was introduced. Therefore, an innocent man was acquitted. While this is not quite a picture of the City of God, it is the City of Man restrained by common grace. Dickens’ theology was better than he knew.

In contrast to the near-run injustice in England, France during the Terror thrived on injustice. The court scene in France was chaotic. Dickens quoted the slogan of the French Revolution several times: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity…and Death. It was this slogan that best describes the difference between the French Revolution and the American Revolution (or the Glorious Revolution in Britain in 1688). It was this slogan that explains that violent, humanistic faith aptly described in James Billington’s political and historical book . France, during the Revolution and the Terror, sought to remake the world through destruction. The liberty, the equality of the classes, the fraternity of all men were all ultimately achieved through death at the guillotine. The rolling of the tumbrels to the crowded areas around the guillotines became a national religion. And this religion was founded on the law and justice of the City of Man.

The law and justice of the French courts were guided by a presupposing that certain classes of society were “enemies of the people.” As vague as the phrase is, it was able to be applied to all. Aristocrats, church leaders, and those who prospered under the old regime were by definition, enemies of the people. So were any whoever associated with the condemned classes. So were any whoever strayed in the least from the political correctness of that day. This concept of “enemies of the people” has continued in the world since the French Revolution. The terrible regimes of Hitler, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Castro, and Pol Pot, practiced the same, with the addition of more modern and horrible methods of destroying these enemies. In our American society, “enemies of the people” have not been destroyed, but particular ideas, movements, and individuals are silenced if they are out of the political and socially accepted mainstream.

Charles Darnay was clearly innocent of any true crimes in France. He had believed in a true revolution for years, and that is why he had abandoned his patrimony. His guilt was due to his bloodlines, not to blood on his hands. The driving force behind his conviction was Madame Defarge. A person reading A tale of two cities in the 1800s might have thought Dickens exaggerated her villainy. Rather than being overdramatic in his creation of this meaner-than-Lady Macbeth woman, Dickens was being prophetic. It would only be a few generations later that the world would experience revolutions and plenty of willing executioners, both male and female, who were far more ruthless than Madame Defarge.

There were no court procedures, legal statutes, or appeals that could prevent Darnay’s receiving of the death sentence. His prime advocate, the good old Dr. Manette, had written a letter during his imprisonment years before that used against Darnay. Guilty by virtue of his family’s past, Darnay was then an “enemy of the people” who deserved death.

The City of Man is built upon foundations of injustices, cruelty, and death. Yet grace intervenes even in the most unlikely of situations. And just as God uses the most unexpected of people to fulfill His purposes, so Dickens used Sydney Carton as the recipient and deliverer of grace. Carton’s sacrifice of himself and his further ministry to the frightened girl on the way to their deaths, showed what propels the City of God. In a world that is overwhelmed in chaos and injustice, a world filled with wicked men, a world where goodness and virtue are mocked, there are those whose hearts are turned to something beyond this world. It is the transcendent reality of the City of God.

Sydney Carton was a wicked man; his life in the City of Man was one of drunken self-indulgence, wasted talents, and pitiful self-centeredness. But it was a remembrance of the past and a vision of the future that changed him. He remembered his father’s funeral, and he took hold of a verse from the Bible that changed the direction of his life. He had already witnessed the power of a pure life in Lucie Manette and the beauty of a godly order in the family of Charles Darnay and Lucie . He could have neither, although he could—by his resemblance to Charles Darnay—preserve both. The Bible verse that changed him was John 11:25 (Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.) This was an answer to the injustices found in both England and France, to the terrors of the guillotine, to the restless surging of the masses. Far from being Marx’s “opiate of the masses,” the Christian ideal provides life for the masses. It was a revolution within the revolution. It is a tale of two cities, but the story extends far beyond France and England in the late 1700s.

Early on in A Tale of Two Cities, we learn the fate of criminals does not always seem to have a just outcome. “Humane achievements as sentencing a youth to have his hands cut off, his tongue torn out with pinchers, and his body burned alive, because he had not kneeled down in the rain” (Dickens 5) seems to be a bit much. Yet Charles Dickens uses sarcasm often when he is talking about these different punishments. He has no filter when he is stating these gruesome facts and his lack of concern helps to make it easier for the reader to be able to understand the harsh punishments that took place in 18th century France.

The most famous execution method that was used in 18th century France was the guillotine. It was used by multiple different revolutionaries to kill the aristocracy in the town squares and other public places. Not only was this method of execution seen as the most humane way to kill people at this time, but it was also the most efficient option (Walton). “Twenty-two friends of high public mark, twenty-one living and one dead, it had lopped the heads off, in one morning, in as many minutes.” (Dickens 337). In this quote, Dickens shows the reader just how bloodthirsty the people of France are by stating that they were killing all of the prisoners as quickly as they possibly could. This use of the guillotine leads to a common theme throughout the novel and gives the reader a sense of the pace of executions. The use of the guillotine was so efficient that there would be many executed by this method each day. The pressing urge to kill people lead to the popularity of quick executions such as the guillotine (Ward).

In A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens mentions the guillotine many times and even personifies the object as if it were a living person. For instance he uses the phrase “La Guillotine” (Dickens 312) when talking about the guillotine and the use of this execution device. “‘the sharp female newly-born, and called La Guillotine,’ was hardly known to him.” (Dickens 312). He refers to the guillotine as a woman and makes it known that “she” is a new way to die. Dickens also uses an abundance of sarcasm and a joking tone when he describes the guillotine. “It was the popular theme for jests; it was the best cure for a headache, it infallibly prevented the hair from turning gray, it imparted a peculiar delicacy to the complexion, it was the National Razor which shaved close: who kissed La Guillotine look through the little window and sneezed into the sack” (Dickens 337). This is another example of the sarcastic tones that he uses as a way to convey his thoughts and feelings about the guillotine.

When people were executed by the guillotine, it was seen as a sick form of entertainment for the crowd. Vendors would sell programs with all the victims’ names on it to the crowd before the executions (Walton). It was uncommon that the crowd who came to all of the beheadings to act respectfully, instead many cheered and yelled during the event. “An ominous crowd gathered to see him dismount at the posting yard, and many voices called out loudly,‘Down with the emigrant!’” (Dickens 306). Dickens shows yet again the vulgar nature of the spectators that watched these quick deaths. The guillotine was seen as an equal way for both aristocrats and commoners to be executed. Although before the revolution, prisoners actually had to pay to be beheaded by the guillotine instead of the other option which was being hanged (Walton). The guillotine was used in the execution of over 30,000 people until it was abolished by the French Government in the year 1981 (“Torture and Execution Methods”) .

The guillotine was by far the most famous execution device during this time period, but another unusual, but common torture technique was known as quartering. Quartering a person meant that each of his limbs would be tied to different horses and then quite literally pulled apart from the body. This was done to humiliate the prisoner even after his death, according to “Torture and Execution Methods.” Jerry Cruncher in A Tale of Two Cities is a grave robber, but punishments like these ruined his business. “‘I suppose they’ll be trying Forgies this morning?’/ ’Treason!’/ That’s quartering,’ said Jerry” (Dickens 72).

Quartering was a method that was used in the case of capital punishment crimes such as treason or espionage for men. Women convicted of similar crimes would be burned at the stake (Ward). Being burned alive was a long and painful execution because in most cases the prisoner would burn for a long period of time before death. In these cases, death was from heatstroke, loss of blood or thermal decomposition of organs. If a large number of prisoners were being burned alive at the same time, many of those prisoners would die from smoke inhalation long before actually burning (“Torture and Execution Methods”).

The most usual and common technique for execution in the 18th century was hanging. Being hanged was usually a method for the poor because it was a slow and painful death. In France, people would be hanged for small minor crimes such as thievery as well as some other larger crimes (Ward). When a person is being hanged it is considered a public event and everyone gathers around the gallows to watch the event (Walton). “At length, on Sunday night when all the village is asleep, come, soldiers, winding down from the prison, and their guns ring on the stones of the little street. Workmen dig, workmen hammer, soldiers laugh and sing; in the morning, by the fountain, there is raised a gallows forty feet high, poisoning the water” (Dickens 210). It was common for gallows to be built in the night and set up the next day in a public place. These gallows seem like a dark and dreadful place because they would show up one day and then were gone the next. They would ruin what townspeople considered happy places and made them into a painful and scary memory.

For crimes that are more serious like murder or robbery the prisoner could be subject to the rack. “It consisted of a rectangular, usually wooden frame, raised from the ground, with a roller at one end or both ends, having at one end a fixed bar to which the legs were fastened, and at the other a movable bar to which the hands were tied” (“Torture and Execution Methods”). The rack dislocated the limbs of the prisoner, and was used to get a convicted criminal to give up their accomplices. It was such a painful and scary form of torture that many people confessed by just watching someone else being tortured on the rack (Ward). Dickens refers to the rack a few times in A Tale of Two Cities, but never goes into full detail about its horror like he does with many of the other forms of punishment. “Thus it was, however; and the last drop of blood having been extracted from the flints, and the last screw of the rack having been turned so often that its purchase crumbled, and it now turned and turned with nothing to bite,” (Dickens 279). This quote means that the rack was used so often that it broke and was in a sense retired. The reader should feel a sense of relief that Dickens didn’t go into detail because the terrifying nature of this device could be easily too graphic for many readers.

A less famous and gruesome form of punishment was the pillory used in 18th century France. “The pillory was a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands” (“Torture and Execution Methods”). This form of punishment differs from the guillotine because instead of this being used as an execution device, the pillory was actually used more for torture and focused on the humiliation of a given prisoner. It was a form of entertainment for the public because anyone in the pillory could be there for hours and the public was allowed to throw different things at them while they were there. Every time that someone was put in the pillory the harm that the prisoner might endure was never known because the public might throw rotten fruit at the prisoner, or in some cases even choose to throw rocks and harm the prisoners severely (“Torture and Execution Methods”). The pillory also served as a whipping post in some cases because the prisoner was already restrained. “It was famous, too, for the pillory, a wise old institution, that inflicted a punishment of which no one could foresee the extent; also, for the whipping-post, another dear old institution, very humanizing and softening to behold in action;” (Dickens 73). Dickens understands the different uses of the pillory and conveys his opinion about the scale of damage it could do to a prisoner.

A Tale of Two Cities never outright mentions psychological torture, but it is a common theme throughout the book. Dr. Manette is kept in a prison cell for seventeen years with no contact with the outside world. The form of punishment Dr. Manette underwent is known as solitary confinement. Psychological torture isn’t as noticeable unless it affects the behavior of the prisoner (“Torture and Execution Methods”). An example of this would be the use of extreme stress in different situations such as mock executions, shunning and solitary confinement. Many times the prisoner would have no visually noticable signs for phycological torture because it required no physical pain unless self-inflicted (“Torture and Execution Methods”). The use of phycological torture is an underlying theme throught the book because many characters are affected by it in different ways. Another affected character is Charles Darnay because he too was confined in prison and Dickens shows that he is starting to lose it by describing how he was walking around the cells counting his steps to measure the width and length of the cell.

Dickens referenced and talked about many different types of torture and execution in his novel, A Tale of Two Cities. The use of capital punishment in 18th century France was a cruel way to end a person life. The justice system itself was unfair and led to the deaths of many innocent people. Dickens was very knowledgeable and credible when he talks about this topic because of the time that he spent as a court reporter. This knowledge led to a very in depth and factually correct description of the forms of punishment. His discriptions of the different forms of capital punishment made the novel more exciting to read and gave the readers a better senese of the grusome happening of the time.

Works Cited

1. Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities. McDougal Littell Inc., 1997.
2. “Torture and Execution Methods.” Medieval Warfare, 24 Aug. 2012. www.medievalwarfare.info/torture.htm#guillotine. Accessed 13 Dec. 2019.
3. Walton, Geri. “Torture in 18th Century France.” 10 Oct. 2016. www.geriwalton.com/torture-18th-century-france-irishmans-view/. Accessed 10 Dec. 2019.
4. Ward, Richard. “A Global History of Execution and the Criminal Corpse.” 2015. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK379343/. Accessed 15 Dec. 2019.

A Tale of Two Cities is one of a two historical novels written by Charles Dickens during the Victorian age. It’s one of Dickens most heavily plotted full length novels, and may be his best known. It is written in the third person omniscient point of view, and deals with themes of duality, revolution, and resurrection. It speaks of the best times and the worst times in London and Paris, when the economic and political struggles led to the American and French Revolutions. The leading characters of the novel (Doctor Alexandre Manette, Charles Darnay, and Sydney Carton ) are somehow recalled to life, or resurrected, in different ways as chaos erupts. Dickens originally published A tale of two cites in his own weekly magazine, All the Year Round. And despite its length, A Tale of Two Cities often gets described as rushed or fast-paced.

The Victorian Era and the Rise of Novel

The Victorian era of Britain was the period of queen Victoria’s reign from 20 June 1837 until her death, on 22 January 1901. It was a great, long period of peace, prosperity, progress and great social reforms for Britain but at the same time it was characterized by poverty, injustice and social unrest. Ideals of this period were marked by the birth of ‘Respectability’, which distinguished the middle from the lower class. Respectability was a mixture of morality, hypocrisy and conformity to social standards. It meant: The possession of good manners; the ownership of a comfortable house with servants and a carriage; Regular attendance at church; and charitable activity.

Moreover, the Victorians showed great interest in prose, since the greatest literary achievement of that age was found in the rise of novel, novels soon became the most popular form of literature and the main source of entertainment. The conditions that contributed to the rise of novel were:

1. It was the favourite literary genre of the middle class
2. The improvement in printing process
3. The spreading of literacy
4. The diffusion of landing libraries
5. The publication of novels in installments in newspapers
6. The stories, which represented the life of the middle class in a realistic way, but always with a happy ending
7. The writers and readers shared the same ideas and values (since Victorian writers and also the readers often belonged to the middle class).

The Victorian Criteria in Novel

The novels were published in serial form, and the plot was usually thick, complicated and episodic, involving various subplots. The use of revelation techniques was often in order to keep the reader’s interest alive (since these novels were published in the newspaper the writers were aware of the reading public). As for their point of view, the novels were written in the third person omniscient point of view, the narrator judges people and actions, he makes the stories finish with a wise distribution of “punishment” for the evil characters, “retribution” for the good ones., he knew what was bad and what was right and the good always won over evil (like mentioned above these novels mostly had happy endings) The narrator wanted to show how men should behave, so he had a didactic aim. The setting was usually the city or the industrial town, which is the main symbol of industrial civilization.

The themes handled by the Victorian novels were often about conditions of the workers, exploitation of children, social problems (social novel). Novelists saw and denounced the evils of their time (such as exploitation, poverty), they used their novels in order to put in evidence these evils and to stimulate people to find remedies to them. In this sense didacticism was usually the dominating aim these novels. And that’s why in result, the narrator is generally omniscient as mentioned before. As for the characters, the novelist focused on making realistic characters so that the public can relate to. There were two methods of development and analyzing: the first method analyzed the character’s psychology, as in the characters from Dickens’s novel, the writer analyses their inner life to explain why they behaved in a certain way. The other method was used by the later novelists, it was similar to that of the European development of ‘Naturalism’, an almost scientific look at the human behavior, upon which the narrator no longer had power to comment on the action and thoughts of the characters.

It’s important to note that during the era of Victorianism, creative writing, art and public activity were considered to be masculine. Despite the fact that majority of novel-buyers and readers were women (since they had more time to spend at home). Surprisingly, a great number of the novels published during the middle period of Victorianism (1870- 1880) were written by women, considering the state of subjection of Victorian women, publishing was not easy. So some women had to use a pseudonym in order to publish their work and see it in print.

A Tale of Two Cities, As a Victorian Novel

The Victorian era is the most dynamic period in the history of Great Britain since on one hand, this period reaped the golden fruits of science and technology but on the other hand, this period also marked the birth of various social evil. A Tale of Two Cities deal with the toxic characteristics of this era through multiple points:

The French Revolution

A Tale of Two Cities can be seen as a warning to British society of the mid-nineteenth century. Dickens calls attention to the extraordinary violence of the French Revolution, while showing that the overthrow of a government by violent means inevitably leads to more killing. Many revolutionaries of his day failed to see that Dickens was more concerned with portraying the death and destruction that accompany revolution than with endorsing a working class revolt.

‘In the hunted air of the people there was yet some wild-beast thought of the possibility of turning at bay.’

After describing the hunger that is overtaking the poor neighborhood of Saint Antoine, Dickens compares the peasants to animals that are being driven mad by hunger and rage. The description of the people “turning at bay” suggests that, like animals, they have reached the end of their rope and have no choice but to fight back against their oppressors. This description illustrates the conditions that contributed to the revolution. Dickens deeply sympathizes with the plight of the French peasantry and emphasizes their need for liberation. The several chapters that deal with the Marquis Evrémonde successfully paint a picture of a vicious aristocracy that shamelessly exploits and oppresses the nation’s poor. Although Dickens condemns this oppression, however, he also condemns the peasants’ strategies in overcoming it, For in fighting cruelty with cruelty, the peasants effect no true revolution; rather, they only perpetuate the violence that they themselves have suffered.

Dickens’s most concise and relevant view of revolution comes in the final chapter, in which he notes the slippery slope down from the oppressed to the oppressor:

“Sow the same seed of rapacious license and oppression over again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind.”

Though Dickens sees the French Revolution as a great symbol of transformation and resurrection, he emphasizes that its violent means were ultimately antithetical to its end.

The Social Classes and poverty

Social inequality and class conflict are sources of violent disruption and revolution in France. For generations, aristocrats like Monseigneur have thought of nothing else except their own pleasure and luxury. The narrator sarcastically parodies the pretentions of the upper-classes by describing how four servants are involved in serving an aristocrat his morning cup of chocolate, and noting that

“Deep would have been the blot upon his escutcheon if his chocolate had been ignobly waited on by only three men”.

Not only are the French aristocrats presented as spoiled and lazy, but they are also shown to be heartless and lacking in any regard for the lives of the lower classes. Monseigneur cruelly tells the working class Parisians that

“I would ride over any of you very willingly, and exterminate you from the earth”.

The theme of class adds an important element of moral complexity to the novel because Dickens presents both the cruelty of the upper-classes and the brute violence of the lower-classes in equally damning terms.

‘ There was no drainage to carry off the wine, and not only did it all get taken up, but so much mud got taken up along with it, that there might have been a scavenger in the street, if anybody acquainted with it could have believed in such a miraculous presence.’

In this scene, a cask of wine spills in the street of Saint Antoine, a poor neighborhood. The narrator describes how the people of the neighborhood scramble to get some of the wine, and they are so desperate that they end up consuming mud along with the wine. Afterwards, the narrator notes that the street is so clean it appears as if a street cleaner had visited, though no street cleaner would come to this neighborhood. This scene is the first indication of the peasants’ severe poverty.

‘Monseigneur (often a most worthy individual gentleman) was a national blessing, gave a chivalrous tone to things, was a polite example of luxurious and shining life, and a great deal more to equal purpose; nevertheless, Monseigneur as a class had, somehow or other, brought things to this. Strange that Creation, designed expressly for Monseigneur, should be so soon wrung dry and squeezed out! There must be something short-sighted in the eternal arrangements, surely!’

The narrator describes the condition of France after the revolution begins. Although the upper class was meant to be a good thing for the country, their existence led to the bloodbath of the revolution. By blaming their elevated position on “Creation” and “eternal arrangements,” we can see that the upper classes are oblivious to their own actions in bringing about the revolution. While they believe that the world was designed for their happiness and comfort, they did not consider that depriving others of the same comforts might lead to their own demise.

Texts will continue to be adapted and changed to be made suitable for their respective contexts, however its core concepts will remain timeless. Through the final film in his post 9/11 noir trilogy, ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, director Christopher Nolan adapts ideas and plot points prevalent in Charles Dicken’s ‘A Tale of Two Cities’. Although written in different contexts, Dicken’s commentary remains timeless through works such as Nolan’s.

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ and ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ both feature social friction and turmoil brought about due to the steep economic divide present in society. Dickens makes this social tension quite apparent within the opening lines of his text. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity…” Using Anaphora and juxtaposing language, Dickens establishes a duality between the lives of aristocrats and the working class of France as well as the contrast between the cities of France and London. The accumulation of the tension Dickens presents, as it is a direct reflection of the events leading to the French Revolution, suggests a sudden change or uprising that is going to occur. Similarly, Nolan adapts a similar premise in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’. In the ballroom scene, when Bruce dances with Selena to question her about the whereabouts of his stolen fingerprints, she warns him of a revolution that is going to occur. “There’s a storm coming Mister Wayne… and your going to wonder how you all could live so large and leave so little for the rest of us.” Through Bruce and Selena, Nolan recreates the social duality in Dicken’s novel. Bruce and Selena are representative of the wealthy aristocrats and the less fortunate respectively, both characters illustrate the two extremes of the citizens of Gotham. Although this apparent social divide in the film is the bi-product of modern-day capitalism and bureaucracy rather than an economic decline in the 1700s, Nolan preserves Dicken’s commentary on the effect of this accumulation of social tension can bring about.

Bruce’s character journey is Nolan’s most evident adaptation from ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, in particular journey of Sydney Carton. Introduced as a ‘good for nothing’ alcoholic, Sydney is a lawyer desperately clinging onto the little meaning or purpose he has with his life. Idolizing Charles Darnay as the man he can never become. Similarly, Gotham’s utter disapproval of Batman is due him taking the blame of the murder of Harvey Dent, his purpose as a figure of justice is overshadowed by his guilt at the beginning of the film. Furthermore, both characters embark on a journey of self-renewal. Carton’s confession to Lucie is a pivotal event in the text, as her acceptance and empathy acts as the driving force for him to act with more conviction and selflessness later in the text. Bruce goes through a similar phase in Bane’s prison, by transforming his perceptions of heroism, he finds new meaning in fear and ‘rises’ from the abyss. Nolan’s most direct adaptation is Sydney’s speech before his death, “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest I go to than I have ever known”. After years of purposelessness and degeneracy, through his sacrifice for the wrongly accused of France, he feels a sense of accomplishment and real purpose in his life. Similarly, Jim Gordon’s recital of this line during Bruce’s funeral is symbolic of the Dark Knight’s renewed legacy, his sacrifice gave Bruce the peace he needed and the people of Gotham freedom. Nolan’s adaptation of Sydney Carton’s character archetype reinforces how texts can be adapted to suit the needs of differing contexts but still retaining its original meaning.

Ultimately, Nolan’s heavy inspiration and adaptation of Dickens’ work is an exemplar on the role of adaptation and appropriation in literature. By successfully adopting similar storytelling beats and character archetypes from ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ and adapting it into his film ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, he showcases how ideas and concepts can continually evolve and morph but still retain some of its original meaning.

In his acclaimed text, A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens juxtaposes his main characters, using distinct terms, i.e., if one is righteous, then the other will be evil. Dickens then makes it evident that the righteous and cruel characters do not in fact share many differences. In the same way, the cities of London and Paris demonstrate to be surprisingly alike, in Dickens’s tale. By establishing a pattern of false polarities, or contrasting pairs, Dickens warns that London will also have to sustain the severe conditions that plagued revolutionary France.

The characteristics of Dickens’s protagonist, Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton well represent the salient theme of paired opposites. Initially, it appears as though poised and virtuous Darnay, crude and unmotivated Carton are divergent characters, despite their underlying similarities in appearance. In carton’s paradoxical statement about his desire to forget his relationship with the world, he suggests that “it has no good in it for [him] – except wine like this”. The paradox between his idea of “wine” in relation to his wellbeing, illustrates that Carton is a heavy drinker, invests in creature comforts and resents his motiveless life on earth. On the other hand, Darnay is full of good virtue as the “peril of an old servant … stared him so reproachfully in the face”. Dickens’s use of words such as “peril” and “old servant”, establishes pathos, to depict Darnay’s discomfort at leaving his old servant in a state of danger. This further shows that Darnay is a man who has unconditional love and respect towards others, specifically as he lacks prejudice towards the lower class. Therefore, though carton and Darnay are inverse characters despite their similar “image”, Dickens later demonstrates how these falsely dichotomous characters share surreal spiritual similarities.

The two most prominent women in Dickens’s novel, Lucie and Madame Defarge, live by contradictory principles. Golden haired and righteous Lucie helps return her father to a “present beyond his misery”, whereas the nefarious Madame, utilizes her time by hatching plans to have people that she passionately hates, “exterminated”. In Madame Defarge’s metaphorical statement, she exclaims that she will “let loose a tiger and a devil … not shown – yet always ready”. The metaphor of the concealed “tiger” and “devil” foreshadows her pitiless treatment of individuals and in particular, the Manettes, later in the novel. On the other hand, Lucie is full of good will and sympathetic towards her father, as she tells him that she will be “true to [him] with all [her] duty and with all [her] faithful service”. The use of anaphora emphasizes her hospitable personality and unfailing devotion to her long-lost father. Her statement further exemplifies that she is the archetype family member, as opposed to the Defarge’s, who struggle to come to mutual terms with each other. Lucie and Madame Defarge, like Carton and Darnay, are dichotomous characters with respect to their motives and the morals they abide by.

Dickens also contrasts the nefarious Madame with the saintly Miss Pross, who would never cast away her family loyalties, to initiate destruction. Madame Defarge states that her husband is a “bold man” but has his “weaknesses … so weak as to relent towards this doctor”. As the Madame describes it, the juxtaposition between Monsieur Defarge’s “bold” and relenting nature, illustrates that she has some respect towards her husband, but her loyalty towards him is divided by her sinister intentions of beginning a reign of terror. Miss Pross, on the contrary, demonstrates unconditional loyalty to her family. Miss Pross tells her brother Solomon, that she has “always loved [him] and always will”, despite the fact that he, “spent all of her money and abandoned her”. The negative imagery of Miss Pross being “abandoned”, creates pathos and further conveys that her good-natured affection sees no evil and doesn’t seek revenge. These pairs of polar characters are prominent throughout the novel.

Regardless of their prominent differences, Dickens’s paradoxical characters, demonstrate to have beliefs and personal qualities in common. For instance, Carton and Darnay both make open their love for Lucie. Carton tells Lucie that he would “die to keep someone [she] loves beside her”. Carton’s use of hyperbole depicts his deep affection for Lucie. Darnay also makes his love for Lucie evident, as informs Dr. Manette, that he loves his daughter “dearly, disinterestedly, devotedly”. The alliteration in Darnay’s statement illustrates that he loves Lucie and thinks only of her wellbeing. Carton and Darnay also share feelings of distress with regard to their troubled past. Carton regrets his drinking problem, and this is exemplified as he announces that he is a “disappointed drudge”. The alliteration in his statement emphasizes his resent in allowing his drinking problem to ruin his life’s stability. Darnay’s regret on the other hand, lies within his family links. When Darnay comments on his family’s harsh treatment of the lower-class individuals, he states that he is “responsible for it, but powerless in it”. The paradox in his statement reveals that he is ashamed by the way his “frightful” family functions. Dickens also makes it clear that Madame Defarge’s history of personal tragedy motivates her sinister personality. Madame Defarge exclaims to Jacques Three that her husband “has not [her] reason for pursuing this family to annihilation”. The imperative tone in her statement illustrates that she seeks her revenge on the same feelings of love and loyalty that Lucie demonstrates, throughout Dickens’s tale. Dickens also reveals the profound Similarities between Miss Pross and Madame Defarge. Whereas Miss Pross is selfless and “desperate” to protect Lucie at all costs, Madame Defarge has a deep commitment to her goal of having the Evrémonde’s exterminated. Dickens exemplifies their similarities, as he depicts a moment of great tension where the two stand their ground, in a climactic gunfight over Lucie. Miss Pross tells Madame Defarge that she will not “leave a handful of that dark hair upon [her] head”, if she attacks her, though she has never hit anyone. The hyperbole in Miss Pross’s statement, shows the extent to which Miss Pross is ready to fight, for the “greater hope” of Lucie. Dickens constantly elaborates the similarities between his righteous and evil characters.

In the same way Dickens’s characters are falsely polar, the cities of Paris and London share many unforeseen complications and cultures. Initially, Dickens establishes the stark differences between the two cities, commenting that in London, “it was the best of times” and in Paris, “it was the worst of times”. Dickens’s use of anaphora within the two statements, clearly depicts that “hope” and “despair” stand shoulder to shoulder, in their struggle. Paris is witness to severe class conflict whereas there is not a whisper about revolution, in London. Paris’s class conflict is most exemplified in the scene where the wine of the broken cask stains the “many hands … many faces and many naked feet” of the oppressed peasants of Saint Antoine. Dickens’s use of anaphora in the statement, emphasizes the fact that the peasants are so deprived of food to the extent that they are ready to slurp wine from the streets of the city. As well as this, the peasants demonstrate a great ‘thirst’ for justice and freedom from misery. At first, Dickens encourages his audience to see London as Paris’s superior neighbour: Lucie, the virtuous Londoner, unites her father to a “Past beyond his misery”. Dickens links London with the Darnays — a principled and happily married couple, whereas Paris is constantly linked with the Defarges — a nefarious couple who struggle to agree with each other. As the story progresses, the differences between the two cities crumble. Dickens reminds his audience that Paris has just had a wave of capital punishment.

Character Descriptions

Charles Darnay is a respectful and honorable man, but is unlucky. We see this respect and honor through his actions. He chooses to reject his famous family name and tries to make amends to a woman whose family was annihilated by his father and uncle. We see is unfortunate unluckiness play in when he is arrested for treason in England, and when he is arrested in France and tried twice. No matter how much he tries to right the wrongs of his family, he is doomed to pay the price of their sins.

Lucie is a compassionate, beautiful woman who has a gift of bringing out the best in the characters around her. She is courted by Darnay, Carton, and Stryver because of three of these traits that she possesses, and the three men can see a bright future with her where they are better because of her. Mr. Lorry and Miss Pross also have great love for Lucie and treat her as if she were their own daughter and Lucie loves them all the more. Lucie may be one of the underdeveloped characters of the book, but Charles Dickens uses her to show the great affect love and compassion can have on others, especially during times like the French Revolution.

Madame Defarge is an intelligent, fearless, cold-hearted woman who runs the pub that all the revolutionists go to and is known for her knitting. She is known mainly for the names the she knits that indicate who will be destroyed in the revolution. Where the reader sees her intelligence and fearlessness is that she is so involved in the revolution; running the pub, making plans, and knitting the names of who will be killed. Where the reader sees her cold-heartedness is when Lucie is begging Madame Defarge to spare her child’s life, but Defarge is so consumed with justice for her family that all she cares about is killing every single Evermonde, which includes Lucie, Charles, and even their baby.

Sydney Carton is a brilliant, attractive, lazy attorney who has a problem with alcohol finding interest in his life. The reader sees that he is brilliant because he has managanged to become an attorney by 25, and the reader can see that he is attractive because he is said to look like Charles Darnay who is described as relatively attractive. He is lazy because he has lost care for his life. He wanders the streets in a drunken daze and when asked about this he says things like “I am a disappointed drudge, sir. I care for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me” (Dickens pg 48). Though he is a lazy alcoholic, Carton manages to have an amazing character arc at the end of the novel. He gives up his life to save another man and becomes a martyr.

Miss Pross is a tough, motherly, loyal servant who raises Lucie when Dr. Manette is in prison. The reader can see how Pross is tough, mortherly, and loyal in everything she does for Lucie. The biggest thing that shows these things is how she defends Lucie at the end of the novel. When Madame Defarge is after Lucie, Miss Pross keeps her there and ends up fighting her. By the end of the fight Miss Pross is deaf and Madame Defarge is dead.

Dr. Manette is a strong, loving father though being left deeply troubled by his eighteen years in prison. The reader sees his strength when he uses cobbling as a way to not go completely insane in prison. The reader sees also his love for Lucie after she “recalls him to life” and brings him out of the terrible state he was in that shows the reader how prison left him deeply troubled.

Evremonde is a cruel, uncaring, self-obsessed French Aristocrat. He is the only example Dickens gives of the French aristocrats in the novel. Evremonde is known for putting Dr. Manette in prison, wanting to do the same to his nephew Charles Darnay, and running over children.

Monsieur Defarge is an intelligent, dedicated, hard-working revolutionary. The readers see his intelligence, dedication, and hard work through his leading of the Storming of the Bastille. The readers can also see his dedication through his actions of throwing a gold coin into Evremondes face, getting Charles Darnay arrested, and not killing Doctor Manette and his family because of his love for them.

Jerry Cruncher is a detestable, short-tempered, strange man who works at Tellson’s Bank and grave robs at night. The readers see his detestable strange acts when he grave robs and he allows Darnay to blackmail John Barsad because of his knowledge of Roger Clys fake burial. The readers can see his short temperedness through his abuse of his wife.

The people who go by Jacques are intelligent, secretive, and clever. The readers can see this by the clever way that the twisted the nickname of Jacques given to the peasants to ultimately hide their identities in the revolution.

Symbol Explanation

The guillotine in A Tale of Two Cities represents the permanency of chaos in the revolution. The guillotine represents the emotionless killing within both sides of the revolution. Human life becomes unvalued and that expressed through the guillotine.

Madame Defarge’s Knitting symbolizes the danger of the revolutionists in A Tale of Two Cities. Madame Defarge sits calmly knitting as if she is a helpless old woman, but really she is a dangerous revolutionist knitting the names of all those who will be killed in the revolution. This is the same for all of the revolutionists. They are quiet, but like Madame Defarge they are waiting in the shadows for the time to attack and take the names on the pillow.

The Jacques represent one body. By going by one name, the revolutionists have made it clear that they are together. When one man falls the whole body is hurt. The readers can see this when the three Jacques peer into the room where Dr. Manette is. Defarge explains to them that only a select few get to see him. Those who get to see him are chosen by Defarge and have his same name and that it is good for them to see them. What he means when he says this is that only men who are truly dedicated to the revolution get to see him making them a part of the body. Then when they see Dr. Manette they become more fired up for the revolution because they see the true aftermath of what comes of the French Aristocrats actions.

The wine that spills out on the streets from the broken wine cast represents the desperate poverty that the people are in. They rush to the wine that is spilled out in the street and begin to slurp it up. Dickens uses the wine to show the reader how desperate the people actually are, and he uses it to show how separated the poor are to rich aristocrats who don’t even bat an eye to the wine.

Shoes in A Tale of Two Cities represent the past. Dr. Manette makes shoes in order to stay sane in prison, but continues to cobble shoes for a long time after it. He makes shoes again after he finds out that Charles Darnay is actually an Evremonde. When Dr. Manette is reminded of the past and what happened, he makes shoes.

Passage Explanation

The well known passage that opens Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities is significant to the overall story because it sets the readers up to know what is happening as the story starts and provides a foreshadowing of what’s to come in the story. Dickens makes use of a literary device called anaphora which is the repetition of words or phrases in the beginning of simultaneous clauses. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” (Dickens pg 1). Through doing this, Dickens is not only able to show what is happening in the story as it begins, but the direness of the situation. That good and evil, wisdom and foolishness, belief and unbelief, light and darkness, and hope and despair were all equal to one another. The passage also describes what is happening in Paris and in London as the story opens. That the best and the worst was taking place within these two places and ultimately the passage shows what is happening between the rich and the poor in the story.

The passage is also important because it foreshadows what’s to come in the story. The main idea that the passage foreshadows is suffering. The suffering doesn’t just relate to the evil parts in the passage, but the struggle for good and for hope too. It is the same in the story. The reader sees much suffering in Dr. Manettes story being imprisoned and then struggling to regain his sanity. The reader also sees suffering Sydney Carton’s story too. He was a drunk who couldn’t find meaning in his life and ultimately died for his struggle to prove his devotion. The reader can also see the suffering that is inflicted on the people of France by the aristocrats. Through Evremonde much suffering is shown. He kills a child, imprisons Dr. Manette, and destroys a whole family line. Each character suffers in this story. The revolutionists all suffer through the struggle of bringing justice and good back to their country. That is why the opening passage is significant to the story. It prepares the readers for the suffering they will see the characters go through.

Prompt Explanation

The two characters in A Tale of Two Cities that embody the theme of being born again are Doctor Manette and Sydney Carton. In 1757, Doctor Manette is a thriving doctor with a loving family, but becomes falsely imprisoned in La Bastille by the Evremondes. He spends eighteen years as “Prisoner 105, North Tower” and forgets who he was and everything he knew. In his last attempt to hold on to his sanity in the solitude of the prison, he begins to cobble shoes. Dickens uses this hobby that Manette began to show how debilitating prison truly was on him. He does this when Mr. Lorry and Lucie find Doctor Manette in a corner in the Defarges house, cobbling shoes as if his life depended on it. It is when Lucie sees this that she feels compassion for him and through her devotion to him, he is “recalled to life”. Doctor Manette is written as a strong minded man who could have easily been the hero of this story. Dickens decides to instead show the readers through this character that the strongest of men can break, but even though they break they can be restored.

Sydney Carton is first introduced in the story as a lazy, drunk attorney who has lost care for his own life. He is full of self loathing and hatred because of what he thinks is his own wasted life and this is only further increased with Charles Darnay around. He believes Darnay to be the better version of himself because they look so alike. He says that he cares for no one and that no one cares for him. Though he has lost care for his life, he still feels strong emotions for Lucie, but when Lucie marries Darnay he falls further into his self loathing. He eventually tells Lucie of his love for her and how she has inspired him to live a better life, and he asks her to keep his confession a secret. Carton and Darnay become close friends, and Carton becomes a frequent visitor of their household. A few years later Darnay decides to visit France to help a servant who had been imprisoned, but is then arrested and sentenced to death for being an aristocrat. Carton switches places with Darnay secretly and takes on his sentence. In his last hours of life he tries to comfort a young girl with him and quotes scripture. He is executed, but is born again in the hearts of the people he saved and those who saw him executed.

Work Cited

1. Dickens, Charles. Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities. Magic Wagon, 2010.

A Tale of Two Cities, a novel by Charles Dickens, takes place in the late eighteenth century against the backdrop of the French Revolution. This piece of historical fiction recounts the journey of the French Dr. Manette, his eighteen-year-long imprisonment in the Bastille, and his eventual release, in which he meets his daughter Lucie for the first time. Most readers today will encounter A Tale of Two Cities as a single, bound paperback book replete with an introduction, footnotes, appendices, and other useful information. Increasingly, some readers will first experience the story in electronic format, reading the classic tale on their computer screens or e-book readers. Victorian readers, however, encountered A Tale of Two Cities in an array of different formats, with the three-part novel being chopped up and published in a weekly journal and monthly supplements before it was finally released in the single volume format that is so ubiquitous today. Each format sought to maximize the distribution and profit of the novel through the usage of ominous chapter titles, eerie foreshadowings, and suspenseful cliffhangers that left readers at the edge of their seats.

A Tale of Two Cities has long been renowned among English fanatics for its complex plot and eccentric writing style. One of the cardinal literary elements that Dickens uses in the novel to increase reader interest as well as reveal underlying symbolism, irony, and foreshadowing that would otherwise be missed, is the title of each chapter. One of the most notable is that of Book II, Chapter Five: “The Jackal.” The “jackal” being the illustrative nickname given to lawyer Sydney Carton. A jackal is a loner, scavenger, and low-life in the jungle hierarchy. In this sense, Sydney Carton fits his given moniker perfectly. When we first meet Carton, he is in the courtroom of the Old Bailey, staring idly at the ceiling. He is completely detached from reality, so much so that his manner appears “so careless as to be almost insolent” (Dickens, 81). Carton is continually a man set apart from society, just like the lonesome jackal. The “lion”, Mr. Stryver, though he lacks “that faculty of extracting the essence from a heap of statement” (Dickens, 90), is a successful man in the highest echelons of his profession. His seeming prowess in the field of law gives the impression that Mr. Stryver is just like the all-powerful king of the forest. However, in another very real sense, the pair are absolutely nothing like their animal counterparts. The jackal, although a low-life, is an incredibly adept scavenger. In their professional domain, Carton plays the role of hunter, spearheading the pairs’ paperwork, and spoon feeding this information to Stryver. Stryver takes the backseat and scavenges through light paperwork each night while heavily intoxicated. This lengthy analogy piques reader interest in the sense that it provides greater insight into the dynamic of Stryver and Carton’s relationship. Dickens’ clever wit and use of irony intrigues readers and leaves them wanting to know how the lawyers’ partnership will play out over the course of the novel.

In Book II, Chapter Three: “A Disappointment”, Dickens clever and concise epithet foreshadows the outcome of a highly anticipated trial. In this chapter, Charles Darnay is being prosecuted for aiding the French and American troops during the American Revolution, an offense punishable by “quartering”, or dismembering the body into four parts. At this time in history, villagers pack into the courthouse as if it is a theater, “swarming … in anticipation of what” they hope to be a gruesome execution (Dickens, 69). During the trial, Mr. Lorry, Lucie, and Dr. Manette’s testimonies all seem to allude to Darnay’s conviction. However, in a surprising twist, Mr. Stryver questions the witnesses’ ability to identify the prisoner due to his incredible resemblance to Sydney Carton. This resemblance is so striking that the jury cannot, in good conscience, convict Darnay of treason. His unforeseen release disappoints those in the crowd who came to the Old Bailey to see a man tortured and vilified. This makes the chapter title an acute allusion to future events that grabs the reader’s attention instantly. Furthermore, it leaves readers wondering what “disappointment” will reveal itself in the following pages.

Apparent foreshadowing in the tale provides a suspenseful and dynamic plot, as well as a sense of impending doom. One of the most blatant examples takes place in Book I, Chapter Five: “The Wine-Shop”, when a wine cask spills in the streets of France. Men rush to scoop the pooled drink in their hands, while women run to sop up the liquid with their handkerchiefs. The French citizens’ frantic attempts to claim the wine is not only a clear symbol of the desperation of the middle class, but it is also Dickens’ way of foreshadowing the imminent revolution. The wine cask that stains Paris’ streets is symbolic of blood that “too [will spill] on the street-stones, and … stain … red upon many there” (Dickens, 28). Later in the novel, revolution becomes a reality for France, with the French infamously killing hundreds of the imprisoned aristocracy at the grindstone. Dickens uses what would otherwise be an unimportant scene of Saint Antoine to whet the audience’s appetite for the violence and gore to come. He once again uses foreshadowing when describing the Manette house in Book II, Chapter Six: “Hundreds of People.” While lounging together on a Sunday afternoon, Darnay comments that outside the Manette home he can hear the footsteps of seemingly hundreds of people, footsteps which are “incessant, … and [slowly become] more and more rapid” (Dickens, 99). Lucie echoes that she too hears the footsteps, and has “‘imagined them [to be] the footsteps of … people who are to come into [her] life, and [her] father’s’” (Dickens, 103). These footsteps are not only symbolic of the rebellion yet to occur, but of the direct involvement that these people will have in the lives of Lucie and Dr. Manette as well. Darnay’s premonition suggests that the strength of France’s morality will be challenged in the future, an allusion which arouses reader suspicions, and leaves audiences wondering as to how deep the French will sink in violence and brutality.

A Tale of Two Cities was produced in serial form, making it in Dickens’ best interest to end each installment with a cliffhanger. One presented cliffhanger in Book I, Chapter Two: “The Mail”, alludes to Jerry Cruncher’s illegal graveyard activity. At the end of this chapter, after receiving Mr. Lorry’s message, ‘recalled to life’, Cruncher remarks to himself that he would be in a great amount of trouble should the dead start returning. His suspicious behavior also alludes to something more sinister in his endeavors, as he only unmuffles himself to pour liquor into his mouth, and then quickly covers his face again. When unmuffled, his beady eyes appear “much too near together, as if they were afraid of being found out in something singly if they kept too far apart” (Dickens, 14). Furthermore, later in the novel, Cruncher’s son notices clay on his father’s boots and rust on his fingers that he is not acquiring during his time as a messenger outside of Tellson’s Bank. This ongoing cliffhanger develops the reader’s interest in the strange, abrasive character that is Jerry Cruncher. His suspicious behavior intensifies an already suspenseful story and has the reader questioning what his next move will be. Another cliffhanger presents itself in Book I, Chapter Five: “The Wine-Shop.” In this chapter, Mr. Lorry and Lucie Manette have come to the wine-shop of a young revolutionary named Defarge. There, the three have a brief conversation, before Defarge is soon leading the gentleman and lady up a dangerous, filthy set of stairs. They eventually come to a landing, barely visible underneath surrounding trash, where there lies a locked cell door. Defarge opens the door to Mr. Lorry and Lucie to reveal an old, white-haired man making shoes. This man is Dr. Manette. A few pages prior, Lucie had believed that her father was long gone, and had no knowledge of his imprisonment. Now, she is face to face with the man responsible for her being. This climactic moment presents the reader with a greater desire to know about the inner workings of Doctor Manette’s life, and what events will follow now that he is being freed from isolation. However, Dickens denied this experience to Victorian readers, who would have to wait until the next installment to uncover the secrets of Dr. Manette.

As a writer of serialized popular novels, Dickens not only utilized chapter titles, but compelling cliffhangers and foreshadowings to create further suspense. Reading in the nineteenth century was a more social activity than it is in modern times, and it was not uncommon for installments to be read out loud for the benefit of members of the family that may be illiterate. Heavy foreshadowings, allusive chapter titles, and suspenseful cliffhangers complemented this social reception of novels, allowing the family to argue over the implications of what was written and what might happen next. Dickens used several phrases and events in A Tale of Two Cities to draw the reader in and increase their interest in what he had to say. In his novels, Dickens left readers desperate to turn the next page. His use of serial publication drew the tension out longer than some could bear, increasing the circulation and monetary success of this now-classic novel.

Summary

The novel begins in 1775 concerning the two cities of Paris and London. An employee at Tellson’s bank, Mr. Lorry, reveals to Lucie Manette that her father, whom she’s presumed dead for years, is quite alive. He had been imprisoned for 18 years in the Bastille by the Evrémondes for trying to do the right thing for an abused family. He is now hiding out in the attic of a former servant, Monsieur Defarge. When Lucie and Mr. Lorry arrive in Paris, they find him in the corner making shoes, a pastime that has been his escape from reality for the past few years. They realize that imprisonment has left him mentally unstable, but Lucie helps restore him, and they return to London.

The novel skips forward in time to 1780 in London. A man, Charles Darnay, is on trial for treason. His lawyer, Stryver, only wins the case with help from his colleague, Carton, who points out how much he bears a likeness to Charles. This discredits the prosecution’s identification of Charles as the spy they had seen. After this, we learn that Charles is the blood of wealthy aristocracy in France at the time. His true last name is Evrémonde, but he keeps this a secret and renounces his family name due to how poorly the wealthy and powerful treat the lower class. Meanwhile, in London, Carton professes his love for Lucie and vows that he will do anything for her. She helps him find purpose in life, and he only wants her and Charles to be happy. Charles returns to London and asks for Lucie’s hand in marriage; her and her father accept. On their wedding day, Charles reveals his secret (about his family name) to Dr. Manette, and he returns to shoemaking, but Mr. Lorry helps him recover.

The year is now 1789, the start of the French Revolution, and the peasants have begun to rise up. They begin their revolution by storming the Bastille. They evolve into ruthless, bloodthirsty savages with killing the wealthy as their main desire in life. Madame Defarge knits the names of everyone she wants dead, including the Manettes and Charles. Charles learns of the imprisonment of one of his friends and travels to France. Lucie and Dr. Manette follow. There, Charles is imprisoned and put on trial. Dr. Manette, who has the sympathy and support of the revolutionaries because of his time in prison, helps free him. However, he is arrested again due to a forgotten letter found in Dr. Manette’s old cell detailing the crimes Charles’s family committed against Madame Defarge and her family. Charles is considered guilty by association and is sentenced to death. Carton, who was also in France around this time, hears of Madame Defarge’s plants to execute Lucie and her daughter as well. He springs into action and arranges for the Manettes to travel home immediately. He then sneaks into Charles’s cell and tricks him into changing places with him. Charles returns to London with his family.

On her way to attempt to arrest Lucie, Madame Defarge is killed by her own bullet. As he waits in line for the guillotine, Carton meets a wrongly accused young woman and holds her hand as they wait for the inevitable. Carton dies knowing that he fulfilled his purpose in life: Lucie and her family are safe.

History

The author, Charles Dickens, was born in England and lived from 1812 to 1870. He was a self-taught writer who began as an actor, but gained fame for his writing in his twenties. His works include A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and others. Many of which are well-known to this day. He is even credited with “inventing” Christmas books, as his love of Christmas caused him to be the first to write numerous Christmas-themed stories. His writing style for most of his works can be described by a mix of fantasy and realism, and he enjoyed satire. His writing is characterized by his use of creative language, and he was very meticulous in creating his characters, ensuring that they came across exactly as he intended. There is no question why he is considered one of the greatest writers of the Victorian Era (‘History – Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870)’).

A Tale of Two Cities was written in 1859, during the start of the Victorian Era. This era fell between a literary period of romanticism and modernism or realism, so the writing style of the Victorian Era was a combination of the two styles. Novels tended to contain themes of hardships where love, luck, or perseverance won out in the end. They were typically centralized around a religious or moral lesson. A Tale of Two Cities fits this description relatively well as Charles’s trial was a hardship that was resolved through perseverance and a sacrifice fueled by love []. The novel, though, was centralized around a period of history about 50 years prior to this era: the French Revolution. The French Revolution began in 1789 and was caused by the mistreatment and neglect of the lower class by the wealthy and powerful French aristocracies and political figures. Discontent of the economic system in place at the time evoked a desire for reform in the peasants. The revolution was distinguished by the extreme violence and executions by guillotine. By 1793, the king and queen had been executed, and France was a bloodbath. Over 17,000 people were tied and executed during a ten-month period known as the Reign of Terror near the end of the revolution. By the end, the French Revolution did not achieve all of its goals, but it definitely proved the power and will of the people (‘History – Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870)’).

Dickens wrote about this period in history during a time when there was tension between France and Great Britain. This brought significance to the ties between the two cities, London and Paris, in the novel, London being a place of security and hope, and Paris being a place of tragedy and civil unrest. His inspiration for the setting was an 1837 Thomas Carlyle book that he loved, The French Revolution because its depictions of the fall of Bastille reminded him of his father’s imprisonment in the Marshalsea debtors’ prison. The hero of the novel, Carton, was inspired by the hero in a play he acted in, Wilkie Collins’s The Frozen Deep. His main purpose, however, in writing this novel was to promote his new weekly journal titled All the Year Round. This was during a time when there was gossip surrounding his personal life and he was trying to begin a career as his own public reader (Griffith).

Characters

Sydney Carton: Carton fits the hero archetype. He also shows the most character development throughout the novel. The novel begins with him as an unmotivated assistant to Stryver. However, after meeting Charles and Lucie, he realizes how much love they have for each other. This and his love for Lucie cause him to find a new purpose in life: to ensure the lovers’ happiness. He even states that he would make any sacrifice for her, and he does. He ends up making the ultimate sacrifice, his own life, to save Charles for Lucie.

Madame Defarge: Madame Defarge fits the villain archetype. Her character is flat and does not develop at all throughout the novel. From beginning to end, she only has one purpose and motivation: to kill those who wronged her and caused the abuse and death that plagued her and her family. She shows no remorse and no mercy, even to those, like the Manettes and Charles, who have already suffered or are not directly related to her suffering. She is a prominent figure in the revolution and a human embodiment of the extreme thirst for blood that characterized the French Revolution.

Lucie Manette: Lucie best fits the innocent archetype. She is a relatively flat character, but she serves as an important symbol in the novel. She is naive and kind and the lover of Charles. She also becomes a light for both her father and Carton. She has the ability to “resurrect” Dr. Manette from his instability and hopelessness after escaping prison, and she gives Carton a purpose in life that he was unable to find prior. Throughout the novel, she is a symbol of innocence, hope, and faith in humanity, symbols that were difficult to find during the dark times of the French Revolution.

Charles Darnay (Evrémonde): Charles doesn’t seem to fit perfectly into an archetype. He is heroic in that he gives up his family and financial security for what he believes is right, but he also gets put into positions where others have to come in and save him. He is also a relatively flat character. He is the lover of Lucie and son of the French rulers that tortured Madame Defarge’s family. However, he tries to keep this a secret and denounces his family and their actions. He believes in liberty rather than the revolutionary ideals of the people of France. His loyalty and compassion for others is what draws him back to France and puts him in danger. Similar to Lucie, he is a rare symbol of hope in the novel.

Dr. Alexandre Manette (Prisoner 105 North Tower): Dr. Manette is a father figure, but he also relies on others for strength. He had a decent amount of character development. His imprisonment by the Evrémondes left him unstable and almost lifeless to the point where he is completely disconnected from his past life and does not remember his own name. However, his daughter and Mr. Lorry are able to bring him out of this state and break him of his shoemaking habit to bring him back to reality. By the end of the novel, he is less of the lifeless person he was. He is able to find himself again and some security in his life with Lucie and Charles.

Jarvis Lorry: Mr. Lorry is a foil for Dr. Manette. He is extremely loyal throughout and, along with Lucie, an important figure in Dr. Manette’s life. He is the stability and voice of reason that Dr. Manette is lacking in the beginning and helps him regain his senses.

Themes

Love and sacrifice play huge roles in the novel. There are many instances of sacrifice in the novel. Charles sacrifices the wealth and power associated with his name and family to live a life that is guilt-free and moral. The French peasants sacrifice their lives for reform and freedom. Dr. Manette sacrifices is freedom and happiness to maintain his dignity and do what is right. The most notable sacrifice, however, is the sacrifice Carton made for Lucie and her family. This sacrifice was the most selfless and brave act in the novel and served as a major turning point in Carton’s character. This sacrifice was motivated by, not only a love for Lucie, but by her obvious love for Charles. Carton only wanted Lucie to live happily. All of these sacrifices paid off in the end. Charles finds true love, France regains a sense of unity and equality, Dr. Manette finds his daughter and his strength, and Carton feels like his life was meaningful. These theme could relate to an AP FRQ about how love inspires people to act out of character or better themselves.

Resurrection is also an important theme in the novel, both literally and metaphorically. Resurrection takes a more physical form through Jerry, a grave robber or “resurrection man”, who steals and sells the body parts of the deceased. However, he gives this up this to be spiritually resurrected through religion. Lucie Manette is responsible for much of the metaphorical resurrection in the novel. She acts as the resurrector for both Carton and her father. She gives Carton a purpose in his so-called worthless life and is her father’s “golden thread”, bringing him back to reality after his decline into insanity after imprisonment. In addition, Carton has visions of being resurrected in heaven and through Lucie and Charles’s child as he sacrifices his life at the guillotine. This theme of resurrection is tied to the theme of sacrifice in the novel and associates a sort of hopeful and more positive attitude with the gruesome and tragic deaths within the novel. This theme could best relate to an AP FRQ that asks about physical, spiritual, or emotional resurrection or about a positive psychological change that brings them out of a dark period.

Class is a driving force for much of the revolution in the novel. The struggle between the upper and lower class causes unrest in the peasants. They are treated unfairly and neglected, so they demand justice. There was a clear distinction between the upper and lower class of France in the novel. The cruel acts of the Evrémondes and other powerful French figures paint a picture of the cruelty and hardships that the lower class endured. The novel shows how miserable and fed up the French citizens were and how arrogant and selfish the wealthy were. However, the novel doesn’t hold back in its depiction of the violent acts of the peasants either. Dickens seems to censure the cruel acts of the oppressed and the oppressors. This leads the reader to question who they feel sympathy for and how far is too far when it comes to revenge or justice. In addition, whether they truly created an effective revolution by perpetuating the violence. This theme can best relate to an AP FRQ that asks about the effects of a significant class difference.

The novel is relatively focused as well on the idea of fate and destiny. Madame Defarge seemed to have some control over the fate of the characters, or at least she intended to. Her knitted “hit list” implied that she was attempting to control the lives and fates of the characters, even those that her husband did not agree should be punished. There were also a few invisible forces that drew people to places. Charles wanted to leave and forget France to escape his family name and start fresh, but he was pulled back anyway by some force, which lead to him having to face the past that he attempted to escape. Coincidentally, Carton made his way to France just at the right time as well. In addition, the past that Dr. Manette tried so hard to forget, came back in the form of the letter that condemns Charles. This all inevitably lead to Cartons fate. It seemed like as much as these characters wanted to escape something, their destiny was already set in stone. This may suggest that not much can be done to avoid fate, other than extreme acts such as the sacrifice Carton made. This theme could best relate to an AP FRQ about the idea of fate or predetermined destiny.

Literary Devices

Symbolism: There were many uses of symbolism in the novel. One of the first was the wine. The wine at the start of the novel symbolized the almost intoxicating power of the revolution and its spirit of violence. In addition, it served as a symbol for blood: “…one tall joker so besmirched, his head more out of a long squalid bag of a nightcap than in it, scrawled upon a wall with his finger dipped in muddy wine-lees—blood” (Dickens 26). Another symbol was the guillotine. This was a symbol, not only in the novel, but in the revolution as well. It was a means of institutionalizing murder. It symbolized the decrease in value that human lives held. Executions were commonplace and no longer conveyed emotion in the audience. This symbol showed how inhuman and disconnected to reality the French citizens were.

Foreshadowing: Foreshadowing was used often throughout the novel. One of the first instances was in Book 1 Chapter 5. Wine is spilled in the streets of Paris and nearby citizens frantically attempted to claim it for themselves. This not only showed the start of a progression of the citizens to a more desperate, savage state, but stood as foreshadowing of the coming revolution. “The time was to come, when that wine too would be spilled on the street-stones, and when the stain of it would be red upon many there.” (Dickens 26). Another example of this can be found in Book 2 Chapter 3 during Charles´s trial. The witness is unable to differentiate between Charles and Carton. This along with Carton´s conversation with Lucie in Chapter 13 and states that he ¨would do anything¨ for her and tells her he wants to be remembered as “a man who would give his life, to keep a life [she loves] beside [her]” (Dickens 134). These events foreshadow the sacrifice Carton will make later, by taking his place in the execution, for Lucie and her happiness. This foreshadowing connected events in the novel and associated significance to the symbols. In addition, it added dramatic suspense which was an important feature of such a theme-rich, impactful novel.

Irony and Satire: The novel opens with contradicting statements. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…” (Dickens 1). These statements served to show the complexity of the situation in Europe at the time and also to juxtapose the conditions of London and Paris. Another example is when Jerry, a grave-robber, is described as an “honest tradesman” (Dickens 12). His profession is everything but honest but the ironic phrase was used to draw attention to how dishonest his profession is. It is also ironic because, by the end of the novel, he realizes this and vows to stop to live a holier life. In addition, satire is used in the novel to subtly make fun of certain aspects of society and to indirectly interject the author’s opinion. One example of this includes the court case in Book 1 Chapter 3. The scene is exaggerated and the prosecutor’s argument is ridiculous in order to take a jab at the British judicial system. “That, for these reasons, the jury, being a loyal jury (as he knew they were), and being a responsible jury (as they knew they were), must positively find the prisoner Guilty, and make an end of him, whether they liked it or not.” (Dickens 58).

Allusion: Keeping with the religious themes of Victorian literature, Dickens made a few allusions to the Bible in A Tale of Two Cities. Carton’s sacrifice in the novel alludes to the sacrifice Jesus made in the Bible. Both made the ultimate, selfless sacrifice of their lives for others. Carton’s was fueled by how much he cared about the wellbeing of Lucie and her family. His was an altruistic, meaningful sacrifice made for others, similar to the sacrifice in the Bible. He even references the sacrifice of Jesus shortly before his death recalling the verse John 11.25-26 saying, “I am the Resurrection and the Life,…” (Dickens 380). In addition to this, the whole idea and theme of resurrection in the novel correlate with the Bible and its many occurences of resurrection (Miller). This religious allusion was a feature of Victorian novels. In addition, religion was a controversial and dangerous topic during the French Revolution, a time when Christianity was suppressed. The religious allusions also served as somewhat of a contrast to the immoral acts and violent attitudes of the revolutionaries.

There are resurrection themes in every society and it is not just because we fantasize about the possibility of resurrection and recovery, but it actually happens a lot. Resurrection is the act of rising from the dead. Resurrection is not only rising from the dead, but it can also mean being reborn into a new person or personality. It means being resorted to live, such as realizing something or leaving prison. In Tales of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, the theme of resurrection was shown through various characters that were resurrected in different ways. Tales of Two Cities takes place during the French Revolution in France and England. It is a story about a love triangle between three characters. Charles Darnay, a French man, falls in love with an English woman, named Lucie Manette. At the same time, Sydney Carton falls in love with her too, but she doesn’t love him back. When Darnay is sent to be executed, Carton takes his place and sacrifices himself so that Darnay and Lucie can be happy together. Dickens proved that there is no situation where someone cannot be resurrected through his characters like Dr.Manette, Sydney Carton, and Lucie Manette, which shows that being loved and taken care of can resurrect a person, and can be resurrected into their children.

Dr. Manette was suffering after being in prison, but his daughter, Lucie, took care of him and loved him, which caused him to be reborn into a new person. When Lucie was taking care of Dr. Manette, Lorry, a good friend of Manette asks, “‘I hope you care to be recalled to life?’” (Dickens, 48). Lorry is asking Dr. Manette if he wants to be resurrected. Being “recalled to life” is being reborn into your life as the same person, but a different spirit. Lucie Manette took care of her father. Dickens writes, “Only his daughter had the power of charming this black brooding from his mind. She was the golden thread that united him to a Past beyond his misery, and to the Present beyond his misery: and the sound of her voice, the light of her face, and the touch of her hand, had a strong beneficial influence on him almost always.”(Dicken, 77). Lucie was the only person that could take away the pain that he felt the last eight-teen year locked away in prison. The word, black brooding, is representing Dr. Manette’s past in prison. Dickens is using imagery, to show how he felt during his years in prison. Lucie is described as “the golden thread” which relays that she sewed or knitted him back up, by mending his past and his present. She mended his past and present. Dickens is showing that Lucie has a strong influence by using the phrase “strong beneficial influence”. Dickens is using words like “her touch, the voice, and the light on her face” to prove that she is a goddess-like figure to her father and brings light to his life. Dr. Manette was restored and repaired after his years spent in prison, which made him very weak and unstable. As a result, Lucie turned him into a happy and amazing father, allowing him to forget his past and focus on the present.

Sydney Carton was never loved until he fell in love with Lucie, which changed his perspective on life. When Sydney Carton is waiting for his turn for the guillotine, and the people are watching and waiting for him to be executed, they said that “ it was the most peaceful man’s face ever beheld there. Many added that he looked sublime and prophetic.”(Dickens, 364). The narrator is describing the crowd’s reaction. Even though, Carton felt purposeless during his life, he was able to find his purpose in the end by letting Darnay keep his life and giving Lucie happiness. He sacrificed himself for her and her family and was able to find peace through his actions. Dickens described Carton’s face as “prophetic” which illustrates how extreme his transformation was throughout A Tale of Two Cities. He ends up being reborn and almost godlike, which emphasized that he was willing to sacrifice himself for his loved ones, just like Jesus Christ. Before Sydney Carton dies, he has a vision that a “ child who lay upon her bosom and who bore my name, a man winning his way up in that path of life which was once mine… I see him, foremost of the judges and honored men, bringing a boy of my name… and I hear him tell the child my story…’”(Dickens, 364). Sydney Carton is having a vision of Lucie and Darnay’s child being born after his death, and he believes that this child will bear his name. He was resurrected in the child whom he loved and sacrificed for. He visions the boy becoming a lawyer like him and telling the story of him to others. The child, which Lucie carries, will be a reborn version of Carton, which proves that Sydney Carton was resurrected.

Lucie Manette was reborn through her daughter, Little Lucie. Little Lucie represents Lucie but as a new person. Dickens writes, “Thus, the rustling of Angel’s wings got blended with the other echoes, and they were not wholly of Earth, but nad in them that breath of Heaven…. As the Little Lucie, comically studious at the task in the morning… chattered in the tongues of the two cities that were blended into her life.”(Dickens, 202). Little Lucie is described as an angel. The quote is describing the Heavens and this demonstrates that Lucie was resurrected through her daughter. Little Lucie is described as her mother, with an angel-like appearance and the same voice. Lucie even named her daughter after her calling her, Little Lucie. “Chattered in the tongues of the two cities” means that she is able to speak both her parent’s languages, french and English. Even their hearts have the same reaction, “… and knew her with a blameless through an unchanged mind when she was a wife and a mother, but her children had a strange sympathy with him- an instinctive delicacy of pity for him.”(Dickens, 203). This quote is significant because Little Lucie has a special relationship with Sydney Carton. Lucie doesn’t love Carton and she has not changed her mind. We know this because the narrator says, “unchanged mind”. But Little Lucie “pity” him. She had a special relationship with Sydney, “but her children have a strange sympathy”. Dickens resurrected Lucie through her daughter. Even her name is Lucie and Little Lucie looks like her mother, with golden threads. Evidently, Lucie was a reborn character after her marriage to Charles Darnay.

Dickens proved that there is no situation where someone cannot be resurrected through his characters such as Dr.Manette, Sydney Carton, and Lucie Manette, which shows that being loved and taken care of can resurrect a person, and can be resurrected into their children. Dr. Manette was resurrected after “being buried alive” and leaving the Bastille. Sydney Carton was resurrected when he was dead, through Darnay and Lucie’s son. Lucie Manette was resurrected through her daughter, being alike in appearance. Resurrection is something that happens very often and can happen after something occurs to a person. Dickens demonstrates this through his characters in his novel, Tales of Two Cities. Today in society, many people are resurrected after coming out of jail or from a coma. Many can be reborn once something good or bad happens or when they realize something or wants to start over in life. Resurrection is a process that many have.

Work Cited

1. Dickens, Charles. Tale Of Two Cities. Perma-Bound, 1988.

Individual and social sacrifices are prevalent in A Tale of Two Cities. Charles forgoes the family legacy to hide the stigma of his family’s immoral conduct. For the sake of his eventual dignity, Dr. Manette chooses to forgo his independence. Many French lives were sacrificed in the revolution to ultimately eliminate dictatorship. All in all, sacrifice guides both ordinary people and greater national businesses to greater prosperity and satisfaction. Although making sacrifices is difficult when only considering short-term benefits, in the long term, Charles conquers Lucie’s love; Dr. Manette, due to being a former Bastille prisoner, has taken a powerful place in the French Revolution; France will turn the violent revolution into a harmonic and booming prospect. In the novel, Dickens every now and again utilizes literary devices to fortify the topic of sacrifice and thusly sets up the positive outlook of making penances.

Dickens utilizes metaphors and euphemisms to convey a sense of distress yet favor during the process of making sacrifices. Upon giving up on his family properties, Charles confesses to his uncle in the family chateau, “This property and France are lost to me,” “I renounce them.”… “—I would abandon it, and live otherwise and elsewhere. It is little to relinquish. What is it but a wilderness of misery and ruin?” Upon his uncle’s demise he fled the nation and its station as marquis in light of the fact that, for the sake of riches and status, he lamented the indecencies his family had submitted. While Charles delineates this compensation as ‘little to give up,’ he indeed gives up a lot—his status, reputation, and wealth. This does not appear to him, regardless, since he would not prefer to be identified with the verifiable setting of his forebears. The euphemism Dickens uses here communicates Charles’ reconciliation with himself and the properties his family possesses. Not unreasonably Charles could not care less pretty much each one of those properties, but since of his yearning for the more noteworthy and more splendid—the equitable and right, the undertakings do not show up as critical to him as they appear to his family. Likewise, by metaphorizing those degenerate properties into a wilderness of misery and ruin,’ Dickens further strengthens Charles’ frame of mind of apathy and disdain towards the materialistic world. ‘Wilderness’ as of now passes on Charles’ perplexities towards his family’s assets, while ‘misery’ and ‘ruin’ include another layer of his scorn. They together play an extraordinary statement of Charles’ acknowledgment and the sacrifice he is going to make. In this manner, the euphemism and metaphor here together invigorate Charles’ assurance of making penance.

Imagery and diction are used to depict the soundness of Dr. Manette’s experience of sacrificing his freedom. Miss Pross tells Mr. Lorry about how Dr. Manette regularly gets up in the night “he gets up in the dead of the night, and will be heard, by us overhead there, walking up and down, walking up and down, in his room.” In spite of the fact that during the day he can work as he did before his detainment, his evening time wanderings show that he never genuinely left the jail, and the years he spent there will consistently be a piece of him. Dickens’ use of imagery here evokes a sense of anxiousness and tension, driving it simple to accept that Dr. Manette’s sacrifice of his freedom instigates his readiness and mindfulness in any event, even during the most loosening-up time. Furthermore, the diction of ‘dead of the night’ and the reiteration of ‘walking up and down’ further shows both the force of Dr. Manette’s evening wanderings and the ineptness of the environment. Since Dr. Manette surrenders his freedom and goes through years in jail, he gains the ability to remain alert throughout his life and is able to make extraordinary commitments in the French Revolution.

The allusion to slavery further makes it clear that the French individuals are under serious constraint such that they need to forfeit their lives for the nation’s future harmony and prosperity. Marquis speaks to Darnay, “The dark deference of fear and slavery will keep the dogs obedient to the whip, as long as this roof shuts out the sky,” implying that the best way to control individuals is through oppression. Marquis reduces average citizens into animals and thinks that they should be slaves. He bolsters the French aristocrats’ approaches to abusing the proletariat that individuals ought to be lashed like pooches to keep them dutiful. At the end of the day, he needs to state that the individuals are to be dealt with like creatures to make them live in dread of blue blood. However, what is most appalling is the allusion to slavery. As slavery is unpleasant and discouraging to anybody, Dicken’s work of reference to servitude conveys the setbacks the French should trouble. Hence, the French individuals, later on, choose to forfeit their lives for opportunity and bliss. It is the implication made here that makes it obvious the results pushed on the French individuals and their decision of sacrifice is increasingly reasonable.

Associated with the topic of resurrection is the thought that sacrifice is important to accomplish bliss. Dickens looks at this subsequent subject, once more, on both a country and individual level. The progressives demonstrate that another, with a substantial and horrendous cost the libertarian French republic can happen, yet individual lives must be relinquished to benefit the country. Likewise, when the guard captures Charles for the second time, he helps Manette to recall the supremacy of state interests over individual integrity. Dr. Manette’s sacrifice ultimately offers him an important role in the French Revolution. Accordingly, Dickens uses literary devices that effectively show the sacrifices those characters made, in a broader sense, are all totally supportive of a decent purpose.