How does Charles Dickens portray people’s actions, through symbolism and character development, based on their feelings during an extraordinary period of time, such as a revolution in A Tale of Two Cities?

Introduction

A Tale of Two Cities is a historical novel written by Charles Dickens. The novel takes place in Paris and London both before and during the French Revolution. It tells the story of Lucie Manette, her father Doctor Alexandre Manette, her future husband Charles Darnay, her platonic lover Sydney Carton, Charles Darnay’s uncle Monseigneur St. Evrémonde, French revolutionaries and the ones who sentences Charles Darnay to death, Madame Thérèse Defarge and Monsieur Ernest Defarge. All of these characters are connected to each other in a way that leads to torture, death, revenge and sorrow. Charles Dickens deals with many topics in A Tale of Two Cities such as violence, oppression, revenge, sacrifice, resurrection, love, class differences and social justice. The author uses the French Revolution as an example from the close history in order to examine the consequences of violence, revenge and oppression.

Charles Dickens is an author whom I admire so much that I still cannot fully appreciate the significant contributions that he made to literature. In addition to that, I am personally interested in history and love reading historical books. Also, the possibility that Charles Dickens may have written such a significant literary piece with the intent of warning his nation as it will be mentioned in thesis part is enough reason for me to investigate this literary work in detail. From this, we see that he had been scared of the probability of his nation’s going through a revolutionary movement which will cause deaths of maybe millions of people. Therefore, A Tale of Two Cities is a great match for me to analyse and think on. When I researched the novel in detail, I once again appreciated the literary intelligence Charles Dickens had. In this study, I will attempt to explore how Charles Dickens portrays people’s actions, through symbolism and character development, based on their feelings during an extraordinary period of time, such as a revolution in A Tale of Two Cities.

Actions based on feelings

In the light of previous literary analyses on A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, as well as my own thoughts, the actions based on feelings of the characters in the book will be analysed based on the specified emotional reasons mentioned subsequently and I will conclude with the message that the author is trying to convey to readers through A Tale of Two Cities.

There are many arguments which claim that Charles Dickens aimed to warn the British community and prevent his nation from ending up in a condition like the French Revolution which meant continuous bloodshed. Thus, as a brief answer, I may argue that Charles Dickens uses characters like Monseigneur St. Evrémonde, Madame Defarge and Sydney Carton along with other characters, and symbols like ‘knitting’, ‘resurrection’ and ‘guillotine’ to show readers that people may engage in actions based on power, vengeance and love.

Power

“A Tale of Two Cities” starts by one of the most famous quotes “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…” The significance of this quote is based upon its reflection of the contradictions and the chaos of the era. Charles Dickens foreshadows to readers of the book that it will contain contrasts and chaotic events all along with the book. This contradiction matches the characters’ actions based on power.

There are two main characters who take action based on power: Jarvis Lorry and Marquis Evrémonde. However, there is a difference between their actions and their image in the eyes of readers. Jarvis Lorry’s actions based on power are considered positive, while Marquis Evrémonde’s actions regarding his belonging to the French aristocracy are considered negative in the eyes of readers and this seems to be one of the main reasons of the resistance against the aristocracy that will be born among the peasants and the lower class.

Jarvis Lorry is one of the first characters that are introduced to the readers of the book. He is seen as an elegant man and described as:

A face habitually suppressed and quieted, was still lighted up under the quaint wig by a pair of moist bright eyes that it must have cost their owner, in years gone by, some pains to drill to the composed and reserved expression of Tellson’s Bank. He had a healthy colour in his cheeks, and his face, though lined, bore few traces of anxiety. But, perhaps the confidential bachelor clerks in Tellson’s Bank were principally occupied with the cares of other people; and perhaps second-hand cares, like second-hand clothes, come easily off and on. (Dickens 22–23)

The passage given above gives the readers first impressions about Jarvis Lorry and it also foreshadows the relationship between Manette Family and Mr Lorry. Even though the relationship between them isn’t like second-hand clothes which come easily off and on, it is certain that Mr Lorry is occupied with the care of the Manette Family. Mr Lorry is located on the positive and sinless side of the story. The positiveness of Mr Lorry is explained by Charles Dickens with the adjectives used to describe the elegant man, Jarvis Lorry. There are nearly no negative words used about him in the given passage. Therefore, the image created by the author in the eyes of readers totally fits the actions of Mr Lorry and the interpretation of these actions that may have been intended to create on readers is that Mr Lorry feels close to Mannette Family and helps them although he has no obligation to do so. He may have got back to his work and stayed in his comfort zone. However, he indigenises them as his own family and helps them all the time when his power arising from his authority as an important official in Tellson’s Bank is needed or only for the need of his humane character traits. He is always there for Lucie and Dr Manette and Charles Darnay who is also a new member of the Manette Family. These actions emphasize that he really feels like he is also a member of the Manette Family. It may also be commented that the desire to help Manette Family derives from the starvation for the togetherness and love feelings of Mr Lorry. A passage that may show how much Mr Lorry wants to help the Manette Family is given below:

…, with closed doors, and in a mysterious and guilty manner, Mr Lorry hacked the shoemaker’s bench to pieces, while Miss Pross held the candle as if she were assisting at a murder-for which, indeed, in her grimness, she was no unsuitable figure…. So wicked do destruction and secrecy appear to honest minds, that Mr Lorry and Miss Pross, while engaged in the commission of their deed and in the removal of its traces, almost felt and almost looked, like accomplices in a horrible crime. (Dickens 240)

In the passage given above, the destruction of shoemaking tools of Dr Manette by Mr Lorry and Miss Pross is described. The importance of shoemaking tools of Dr Manette is that he was making shoes and couldn’t remember anything about his family when Mr Lorry saved him after his 18-year-long imprisonment in the Bastille in Paris and brought Dr Manette and his daughter Lucie together. Also, when they were home, Dr Manette continues to make shoes and while he does so, he doesn’t remember anything about even his daily life. Therefore, it may be argued that shoemaking ties him with his days in prison and make him remember the misery he had to go through. That’s why Mr Lorry and Miss Pross — the woman who helps the Manette Family with the housework — destroy his shoemaking tools even though especially Mr Lorry isn’t happy with the situation and feels guilty. They want to avoid Dr Manette going back to his old days and isolating himself from the real world but they also feel guilty about harming his belongings. Another important point about the passage is that the destruction of shoemaking tools is likened to murder. Dickens uses many literary techniques to explain his story to readers but one of the techniques that used many times in “A Tale of Two Cities” is the simile technique. He loves to explain the details of the story with description and simile techniques. This given passage is no exception to that. As he likens, the destruction of shoemaking tools to murder; he refers to the murder of the old Dr Manette with all of his old painful memories and preventing him from making Lucie and others sad by isolating himself. Mr Lorry has no obligation to help the Manette Family but he does so. He uses his power arising from his position in the Tellson’s Bank. He uses his authority to help others and to do something beneficial, unlike Marquis Evrémonde. He saves Dr Manette, doesn’t leave them to their own, and also, tries to help Charles Darnay with his problems on the court. In short, he acts like a ‘perfect guardian angel’ as he is described since the beginning of the story.

There aren’t many totally ‘black or white’ characters in the story, most of them are ‘grey’ which means that readers are able to find something to empathize with even in the most villain looking characters. But Marquis Evrémonde isn’t one of these ‘grey’ characters, he has nearly no point to empathize with. In fact, on the contrary, he may be blamed since his class of the society and the way he treats other people who belong to a ‘lower class’ than himself are the main reasons which triggered the revolution among the peasants. It is clear that the author adopts a writing manner that aims to emphasize the oppressing attitude of the Marquis towards the peasants in order to make sure that there is no doubt left in the minds of readers about the revolution’s development process and the reasons behind the revolution. There are remarkable passages describing the attitude and ‘nobleness’ and ego of the Marquis which are thought to be the main reasons behind his attitude towards other people such as:

…but, his morning’s chocolate could not so much as get into the throat of Monseigneur, without the aid of four strong men besides the Cook. Yes, it took four men, all four a-blaze with gorgeous decoration, and the Chief of them unable to exist with fewer than two gold watches in his pocket, emulative of the noble and chaste fashion set by Monseigneur, to conduct the happy chocolate to Monseigneur’s lips… (Dickens 122)

…Military officers destitute of military knowledge; naval officers with no idea of a ship; civil officers without a notion of affairs; .… but all nearly or remotely of the order of Monseigneur, and therefore foisted on all public employments from which anything was to be got, … (Dickens 124)

In the first passage, Dickens’ humorous language shows itself again and the author tells readers about how egoistic Marquis is acting with an exaggerated example of Monseigneur’s routine. Also, Marquis is a representation of the aristocracy in France and their action style that triggered the revolution. With this passage, readers directly get an image on their minds about Marquis from their first sight of him which is that revolution has its logical reasons on itself. The second passage shows the corruption of the aristocracy and the government structure. It means that anybody that is familiar to Marquis may have any job while peasant group of the society suffers from extreme poverty because Marquis uses the power he has in a negative direction. So, the author creates the main conflict between the aristocracy and the peasants. Thus, it may be concluded that Marquis abuses his power and treats unbelievably cruelly towards the people whom he thinks belong to the ‘lower class’. Another very important passage exemplifying the Marquis’ cruelty shall be given below:

It is extraordinary to me that you people cannot take care of yourselves and your children .… How do I know what injury you have done my horses? .… Give him that. He threw out a gold coin for the valet to pick up, and all the heads craned forward that all the eyes might look down as it fell … (Dickens 130)

Marquis says these words after they hit and kill a little child by running over him with the carriage. His reckless and cruel manner to the death of the child is very clearly explained by his words. He cares about neither other people’s living nor their death. He thinks that giving a little amount of money will atone the death of the child and more importantly for him, they will let him go without annoying him anymore. He acts so careless and isn’t worried about being punished after the little child’s murder. The reason behind these is that he knows he will easily get away with killing a little child because of the power he possesses. As in the previous passages, the Marquis represents all of the aristocracy and the manner that the member of aristocracy adopts.

Vengeance

The actions based on power were mainly about the reasons that triggered the revolution among peasants as a whole societal group, especially the actions of the Marquis. On the other hand, actions based on vengeance are more about the personal reasons that caused the revolution in terms of Gaspard whose child has been killed by the Marquis and one of the head revolutionaries Madame Thérèse Defarge. Both of the characters take action based on their revenge desires but their actions differ a lot in terms of the effect size. Gaspard’s action has a lot more local and personal effects. On the other hand, Madame Defarge’s action has whole country-sized effects.

Gaspard is the man whose son is run down and killed by the Marquis’ carriage. In addition to that, the Marquis’ giving him a gold coin to ‘pay’ him for his child’s death made Gaspard even angrier to the Marquis. Then the Marquis’ getting away with the murder made Gaspard lose his faith in the justice system if he had any. As a result of all of these, he decided to take action and secure justice on his own. So, he went to the Marquis and killed him with a knife through his chest. He also left a note: “Drive him fast to his tomb. This, from JACQUES.” With ‘drive him fast’, Gaspard refers to the Marquis’ carriage’s going too fast and killing his child. Also, Jacques is used as a common name among revolutionaries. Therefore, it can be said that the act of Gaspard is a part of taking a stand against the aristocracy. As the punishment for his act, Gaspard was hanged and left there as a reminder to everyone else. The author tells about Gaspard in order to show readers how corrupted justice system was and functioning one way, punishing only peasants. Therefore, the revolution once again becomes ‘justified’ in the eyes of readers and this is actually what Dickens is afraid about. If such a revolution takes place in his own country, it will also be a ‘justified’ one and he wants to warn his people of such a horrible possibility.

Another character in the book who is full of revenge is Madame Defarge. She is known as the woman who with her husband is the mastermind behind the revolution and she is always described as knitting something. Later it turns out that she is knitting the names that should be punished after the revolution is successfully completed. So, the knitting symbolizes execution list of the revolution. The execution list is prepared by a woman. That’s why Madame Defarge knits the names so that nobody actually finds out what she really is doing. So, it is specifically about the norms of society. On the other hand, she is playing the role of ‘God’ by deciding who to live and who to die. Knitting is what is expected from Madame Defarge and other women in the society, not making a revolution. Revolution is men’s job, not some women’s. Thus, it can be said that Dickens mentions gender roles in the society of the time in his book, too. This is shown by the scene when Madame Defarge wants to take an active part in the revolution, but Monsieur Defarge doesn’t let her do so. Then she becomes a part of the revolution by going away from Monsieur Defarge and organizing other women. Another symbolic scene about Madame Defarge occurs when she goes to Manette Family’s house and faces with Miss Pross. She demands to see Lucie. However, Miss Pross doesn’t let her and there occurs a struggle between them. In the end, Madame Defarge dies with her own gun. There are some messages that may be given to readers by the author. Firstly, Madame Defarge represents hate and revolution, while Miss Pross represents love and order. So, her death may represent that love and order will prevail over hate and revolution in the long term, although it may be thought that revolution and hate win in the short term. Madame Defarge’s death with her own gun may represent that hate is self-destructive. Also, Miss Pross becomes deaf after the gunshot. Therefore, it may be argued that struggle against hate and revolution has a cost, even though love and order win in the end. Nearly at the end of the book, readers realise the cause of Madame Defarge’s actions. It turns out that her family is killed because Marquis and his brother who is the father of Charles Darnay, raped her sister. She somehow managed to hide and could stay alive. Dr Manette is also called by Evremondes to save her family but he couldn’t. That’s why he is imprisoned by them. Because of the killing of her whole family, Madame Defarge is driven by the desire for revenge throughout the whole book. A passage that shows how ruthless Madame Defarge is because of desire to revenge shall be given below:

It was nothing to her that an innocent man was to die for the sins of his forefathers; she saw, not him, but them. It was nothing to her, that his wife was to be made a widow and his daughter an orphan; that was insufficient punishment because they were her natural enemies and her prey, and as such had no right to live. (Dickens 427)

In this passage, it is shown that the only thing she wants to do is to take revenge from the people she finds ‘guilty’. This question, whether people should be held accountable for what their ancestors did, is a question which is debated for many decades and still, people may have different opinions. Madame Defarge wants to punish someone for what has been done, so she tries to punish the person who she holds accountable for, she wants Charles Darnay to be executed for the sins of his father and uncle. With the reveal of her background, readers see her less guilty and may reason her act. However, she is still not seen as the ‘hero’ of the story, but as the ‘villain’.

Love

Actions based on the feeling of love of the characters are the ones which constitute the most liked and heart-melting parts of the story. These actions based on love are performed by Dr Manette and Sydney Carton. Dr Manette goes back to his old prison days and isolates himself from the real world around him. The only thing that brings him back to the real world is her daughter’s love. When he is away from her, he goes back to isolation. While Lucie and Charles Darnay were away from home for their honeymoon, Dr Manette had one of his longest spells of isolation since he and her daughter came together again. His isolation was so severe that Jarvis Lorry and Miss Pross had to destroy his shoemaking tools as it was mentioned before. So, it can be deduced that Dr Manette’s cure for his recalling old memories and isolating himself is the feeling that he is loved by especially his daughter Lucie and being together with her. Another action taken by Dr Manette based on love is vouching for Charles Darnay when he is judged because he is a member of the aristocracy who came back to France. Charles Darnay goes back to France upon a call for help from the servant who served Marquis Evremonde and is arrested as if he is a member of the aristocracy. So, Charles Darnay goes back to France and gets judged by the Revolutionaries but Dr Manette who is respected by the Revolutionaries vouches for him and saves him from being executed. Dr Manette risks his reputation for a man like Charles Darnay because of his love towards his daughter as he doesn’t want his daughter to feel sorrow with the death of her beloved husband. So he saves Charles Darnay. Therefore, it can be seen that the feeling of love ends up with a good result.

Another action based on love is taken by Sydney Carton. He replaces himself with Charles Darnay who waits in the prison to get executed and saves his life. After Charles Darnay’s being saved by Dr Manette, he gets arrested for the second time based on accusations made by Defarges and Dr Manette. It turns out that Dr Manette accuses the whole Evremonde Family of what they have done. Since Charles Darnay is also a member of the Evremonde Family, it becomes an accusation for him, too. Also, Sydney Carton loves Lucie from the beginning of the book and finally he understands that she will be happier with Charles. So, he sacrifices himself for Lucie’s love and happiness. As they look nearly the same, it can’t be realised that the person who is executed isn’t Charles Darnay. So, Carton becomes executed instead of Darnay. The gloriousness of Carton’s act is appreciated by the Manette Family as they name their son after Sydney Carton. Also, one more important thing about Carton’s execution is that the audience watching executions counts up as every person gets executed. So, the executions are nothing more than numbers for them. However, Carton doesn’t feel horror at all about the execution or anger despite the audience because he feels beneficial to others for the first time.

Conclusion

Charles Dickens tells his readers about the French Revolution from his own perspective. He basically creates characters who act mainly based on Power, Vengeance and Love. The Revolution whose aim is to annihilate injustice and the pressure put on especially the peasant class of the society creates injustice and pressure itself since the revolutionaries execute some people with no reason at all other than their being related to the bourgeoisie. It should be emphasized that the revolutionaries don’t require people to have committed crimes to execute them; it is enough reason for them that they are somehow related to the bourgeoisie class. For example; Charles Darnay who obviously doesn’t support the way Marquis Evremonde treats people from the peasant class would be executed if Sydney Carton weren’t there to sacrifice himself. The revolutionaries lose their conscience, reasoning abilities and start to act with a desire for revenge. Therefore, it can be said that the revolution deviates from its main aim and causes continuous bloodshed and sadness. These motives used by the author explain this fact and tell the readers that love should always be the main motive for good results. It may be deduced that Charles Dicken’s main aim to write such a literary piece and include such characters with symbols is to warn his own community, England, about the existence of such danger like in France because as the author describes, England wasn’t very different from France before the revolution. So, he says that tragedies that took place in the French Revolution should set an example for them and the realisation of such adversity in their country should be prevented.

Bibliography

Dickens, Charles. A Tale Of Two Cities. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks. 2009.

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Sacrifice for Love in a Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Essay, www.123helpme.com/sacrifice-for-love-in-a-tale-of-two-cities-by-charles-dickens-preview.asp?id=279640.

“The Tale Of Two Cities By Charles Dickens Essay.” The Tale Of Two Cities By Charles Dickens Essay — A Tale of Two Cities, www.123helpme.com/tale-of-two-cities-by-charles-dickens-preview.asp?id=544262.

Unrequited Love: A Tale of Two Cities, and Cyrano De Bergerac Essay, www.123helpme.com/unrequited-love-a-tale-of-two-cities-and-cyrano-de-bergerac-preview.asp?id=259082.