Doubles In A Tale Of Two Cities

In the novel, A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens opens with an anaphora, about how the world is throughout the novel. A reoccurring theme throughout this story is the battle between good and evil. Most of the novel is about the struggles each force has and how most of the time good triumphs over evil. In A Tale of Two Cities, the triumph of love, the death of the Marquis, and the contrast between Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay shows how good triumphed over evil.

The literature that came out of the French Revolution often shares common themes of death, rebirth, and destruction. Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is much the same way. Throughout the novel, Dickens clearly supports the revolution but also depicts the brutality of the revolutionaries. Dickens uses powerful metaphors of a sea to symbolize the revolutionaries destroying old France and the belittling name of “Jacques” to depict the narcissistic views of the French aristocracy to show his support for the revolution.

Who murders a child on the street with no feelings of remorse for his actions, the only thing he does is toss a coin to the father of the boy he murdered. He is more concerned about possible damages to his property that about the life of a commoner “It's extraordinary to me that you people cannot take care of yourselves and your children. One or the other of you is forever in the way. How do you know what injury you might do to my horses?”(Dickens 2.7.5) .He also does not understand or can even imagine the struggles that the people of France go through everyday and is unwilling to do anything about it even though the problem is extremely present in the French society depicted in A Tale of Two Cities.

Not only did he sacrifice for Darnay, but he also did this for Lucie's happiness. Darnay was going to die, therefore Carton disguised himself to Darnay so that Darnay will not have to die, causing Lucie to be sad. Carton did not want to see Lucie sad, this is why he sacrificed himself for Darnay and Lucie. “ I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence. I see her, an old women, weeping for me on the anniversary of this day. I see her and her husband , their course done, lying side in their last earthly bed, and I know that each was not more honored and held sacred in the other soul, than was in the souls of both” (Dickens 372). In reality Carton was sacrificing just for Lucie’s happiness, because he loved her too much to see her become sad about the death of her husband. Cartons thinks that he will be reborn through Lucie because of his sacrifice he made. Not only did Sydney Carton sacrificed for his loved ones but he also sacrificed for his friend Mr. Stryver, who “strived” only for himself, and did not really do anything for others. Mr. Stryver was starting his new life, however he needed a partner to reach his goals. He then partnered up

Both Lucie and Sydney Carton demonstrate that one can overcome individual setbacks to support their loved ones. Throughout the novel Sydney is fighting off drinking and depression. “‘I am like one who died young. All my life might have been’” (p.153). He questions the meaning of his life, but whenever he does it always traces back to Lucie. “‘She is everything to me; more than suffering, more than wrong more than well! This is idle talk’” (p. 139). This quote explains how much Carton loves Lucie and that he would accomplish anything to have Lucie stay pure and secure. Therefore he continues living for Lucie. When Darnay is on trial Lucie is devastated, but she quickly overcomes those emotions to support Sydney and Dr.Manette through their problematical times.

Charles Dickens composed many great novels, including A Tale of Two Cities. Dickens combats social injustice using great suspense and complex metaphors, leaving room for thought. There are three series of scenes which perfectly exemplify man’s inhumanity to man throughout the course of this novel. These scenes are used by Dickens to underline the inhumanity of mankind. The cycle of man’s inhumanity to his fellow man leads to the dehumanization of each man to another and is exhibited through the lives of the Monseigneurs, the execution of the prisoners, and the trials of Charles Darnay.

Sacrifice in A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens is a brilliant Victorian novelist who captures the imagination and sentiment of not only his nineteenth century readers, but also readers for centuries to come. Dickens writes many novels such as Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, and one of his most famous novels, A Tale of Two Cities. The novel takes place during the French Revolution in a time of great extremes. Dickens writes about the poor and the aristocracy, the Manettes and the Defarges, as well as love and hate. In Dickens’ novel, his characters are so deeply rooted in their passions that they will sacrifice anything for their causes.

He gives away his life, so Lucie can live a long and happy one with Darnay. Carton could have let Darnay die and return to London with the Manettes, hoping that Lucie would love him. Instead, he brings purpose back into his life by sacrificing himself for the happiness of those that are dear to him. “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known”

People watch as Carton sacrifices himself in the place of Charles Darnay. Additionally, to provide some imagery Dickens describes: “Many added that he looked sublime and prophetic” (292). This shows how he went from a miserable life of being drunk where no one cared for him, to a life where he is resurrected into Heaven

Carton unselfishly decides that he is going to take Darnay’s spot in prison and die for him. The narrator depicts, “Quickly, but with sure hands and a sure heart, Carton dressed himself in the clothes Darnay had laid aside. He combed back his hair and tied it with the ribbon Darnay had been wearing”(page). Carton’s fearless act displays his kindness and loyalty to Lucie and her family. Carton could have easily gone on living his life and let Darnay die and then pursued his love for Lucie, but he realizes that all the people he loves would be miserable without Darnay.

Symbolism in A Tale of Two Cities During the time leading up to the French Revolution many people suffered because of the great divide between the aristocracy and the common man. Poverty, hunger, and poor living conditions caused people to question the fairness of the government’s policies and to organize in order to reform the government and society. In a Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens tells the story of a group of characters whose lives were greatly impacted by the events leading up to the French Revolution as they struggled to survive during this time of great injustice and fear. One of the themes Dickens uses in the novel is that of resurrection, both in terms of a person being brought back from the edge of death as well as emotional

Resurrection can have many different meanings when applied to different situations. Physically, it could mean being brought back from the dead. Metaphorically, it could mean that someone has changed very dramatically in a period of time. For example, if someone who was originally very lazy becomes exceptionally productive, that could be considered a resurrection. In A Tale Of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, Dickens embodies the theme of resurrection in Manette, Carton, and Darnay and uses these characters enhance the main idea that people can change over time because of the influence and actions of other people.

Carton, who saw himself as “one who died young”(156), was a drunken waste. Who saw his life has purposeless, “watching an eddy that turned purposeless, until the stream absorbed it, and carried it on to the sea-’Like me’.”(327). Carton sees his life purposeless, at least that is the case till he finds love. His love for Lucie led him to give his life up for her. A promise he vowed before circumstances such as the revolution came to be, he vowed he “would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you”(159). Essentially, Carton’s purpose becomes to give his life for Lucie and her family. Carton accepts his death with the “peacefullest man’s face ever beheld there"(389). Carton was “sublime and prophetic”(389). Carton does not want blood but willing gives up his own for a movement which does not tie to him in any case. However, because of his sacrifice, he sees a new era rid of the revolutionaries who once lived by the sword and evidently die by it too. He sees “ Barsad, and Cly, Defarge, The Vengeance, the Juryman, the Judge, long ranks of the new oppressors”(389), all of them “perishing by this retributive instrument”(389). Carton sees destruction and pain fall upon does who thirst after it the most. On the other hand he also sees “ a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss”(389) and whiles trying “to be truly free”(389), he sees “ the evil of this time and of the previous time of which this is the natural birth, gradually making expiation for itself and wearing out”(389). He sees a day when all will be restored and peace will be eminent again. Trough Carton. the noble sacrifice, Dickens portrays the marvelous effects that a noble sacrifice can render, through Carton, who once was a drunken slob, but now loved by the Mannette family especially

They’re lives are interwoven from their first meeting. “They are so like each other in feature, so unlike in manner, both reflected in the glass above them.” In the beginning of the novel, Carton seems to be a foil to Darnay—who reminds Carton of what he could be, but has failed to become—but by the end of the novel, Carton has altered himself from a worthless person to a hero who far transcends the honorable Darnay. In both London and Paris, Carton saves the life of his double, and ultimately sacrifices himself for Darnay, Lucie and their family to

Charles Dickens clearly compares and contrasts the two cities, London and Paris, as he opens the novel with, “it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,” (C. Dickens, pg.1). Paris; with its starving people and the French Revolution bringing out the culture of spite and endless killing, is portrayed as dark and evil, and successfully so. It is a perfect place for brutality to take hold, and thrive. London; despite the bright introduction, it has its own perilous secrets. Great parties through the streets cause, “the tradesmen to hurrily shut up their shops… (Unless the party) would tear (the shops) to pieces,” (C. Dickens, pg.164). Not only do they carelessly destroy the shops and buildings of others, they rob people’s graves for money, to help relieve their poverty. This is revealed when the three men “did not creep far, before they stopped and stood upright. And then they began to (dig).” (C. Dickens pg.?) This establishes the rush they are in, and how they are trying to hide their devious acts, merely to get money. Cruelty, fuelled by poverty and starvation is extensive throughout both cities, because of Charles Dickens successful creation of a flawless atmosphere in which brutality and bloodlust effortlessly