Introduction
In A Tale of Two Cities, the French Revolution plays a key role in the story. The novel begins with the famous line, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," which reflects the dramatic changes caused by the Revolution.
Book 1: Recalled to Life
Charles Dickens introduces a time of
contrasts, setting the stage for the story in 1775. Jarvis Lorry, an employee
of Tellson's Bank, travels from London to Paris on a secret mission. He is
accompanied by Lucie Manette, a 17-year-old woman who is shocked to learn that
her father, Dr. Alexandre Manette, is alive after being secretly imprisoned in
the Bastille for 18 years. Dr. Manette’s release from the Bastille symbolizes
the beginning of the Revolution and the people’s fight for freedom and justice.
Upon
arriving in Paris, Lorry and Lucie meet Ernest Defarge, Dr. Manette's former
servant, who now runs a wine shop(the hub of all revolutionary activity) with
his wife Madame Defarge in the Parisian suburb of Saint Antoine. Monsieur and
Madame Defarge discuss matters with three men, all referred to as
"Jacques", the revolutionaries who helped to release Dr. Manette from
prison. Defarge leads them to a small, sparsely furnished room where Dr.
Manette has been living. The Doctor, thin and pale from his long imprisonment,
is found obsessively making shoes at a workbench. He is mostly unresponsive to
those around him. When asked his name, he responds, "One Hundred and Five,
North Tower." But when Lucie approaches, he remembers his late wife and
breaks down in tears. Lucie comforts him, and that night, Lorry and Lucie take
Dr. Manette back to England, marking the beginning of their journey together. Dr. Manette’s physical release from the
Bastille after eighteen years of imprisonment is not merely a physical
resurrection, as Dr. Manette has been so psychologically scarred by his long
confinement that he has lost his sanity. His obsession with the mechanical task
of shoemaking symbolizes his emotional and psychological numbness. The reasons
behind the trauma he endured during his imprisonment is later revealed in the
novel. Dr. Manette’s "Recalled to Life" is a pivotal metaphor that
operates on both personal and societal levels. This metaphor encapsulates the
themes of resurrection, redemption, and transformation that are central to the
novel.
Hidden Secrets
In December 1757, two noblemen, who were twin
brothers, the Marquis Evermonde sought the medical expertise of Doctor
Alexandre Manette. They secretly took him to a country house and observed the
twin brothers who had raped a young peasant woman and her dying brother. The
woman's brother revealed that the noblemen had raped the woman, and caused her
husband and father's deaths. After taking a second, the unmarried younger
sister to safety, the young man came after the noblemen who held his sister
captive. One of the brothers stabbed him, he cursed the brothers and their
family line, signalling the curse with a cross of blood. The peasant woman died
shortly afterward, and the brothers instructed Manette to remain silent. The
older twin's wife revealed the brothers' family name, Evrémonde, and asked her
son, Charles, to pledge his loyalty to righting the wrong committed by his
uncle and father. The peasant family, which was destroyed by the actions of the
two Evermonde brothers, is Madam Defarge’s family. The tragic deaths of her
sister, her sister's husband, and their unborn child—along with her father and
brother made her to take revenge upon Charles Darney, whom Lucie meets in 1780
and married a year later.
The
aristocrats live in luxury while the common people suffer. The Marquis is
indifferent to the death of a child run over by his carriage in Paris, throwing
a gold coin to the grieving father. This harsh treatment of the poor leads to a
growing resentment that eventually sparks the Revolution. St. Evrémonde is
murdered by the father Charles Darnay, his nephew, inherits the title and
estate but renounces his ties to his cruel family, choosing instead to live in
England as a French language and literature tutor.
Vengeance vs Sacrifice
The French Revolution began in On July 14, 1789 with the storming of the Bastille by the people of Paris, a symbol of royal oppression. As the revolution progressed, the mob, initially motivated by justice, becomes consumed by bloodlust. This period, known as the Reign of Terror in history, leads to the execution of many by guillotine, including innocent people. The Revolution, which began as a fight for equality, becomes chaotic and vengeful. By 1792, revolutionaries have seized power, imprisoning and executing perceived enemies of the state.In Book 3: Track of a Storm, the protest was led by the Defarges, who become central figures in the revolutionary movement. Darnay receives a plea for help from the Evrémonde steward, imprisoned in France. Motivated by duty, Darnay travels to Paris, where he is secretly imprisoned at La Force with little hope of trial or contact with his family.
The
Defarges present a damning letter written by Doctor Manette during his
imprisonment, condemning all Evrémondes for past crimes, including the murder
of Madame Defarge’s family. Based on this evidence, Darnay is sentenced to
death, and Doctor Manette falls back into dementia.
Sydney
Carton, unbeknownst to Darnay's family, arrives in Paris and learns of Darnay’s
plight and a plot to condemn Lucie and her daughter. Determined to save them,
Carton arranges access to Darnay’s cell, swaps clothes with him, drugs him, and
ensures Darnay's escape. Resembling Darnay, Carton takes his place at the
guillotine, sacrificing himself to save Lucie and her family. As Carton faces
death, he finds solace in the knowledge that his act secures the safety of the
woman he loves and her family. Madame Defarge arrives at Lucie's apartment
intending to arrest her but ends up in a fatal scuffle with Miss Pross, and dies
from the accidental discharge of her own gun.
Theme of Redemption and Resurrection
Dr. Manette’s "recalled to life" ties into the larger theme of resurrection that is woven throughout the novel. This theme extends beyond Dr. Manette to characters like Sydney Carton, who undergoes his own form of spiritual resurrection later in the novel for his love for Lucie. The idea of resurrection implies that even in the most broken, oppressed states—whether an individual’s mind or a society’s structure—there is potential for renewal and change
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