A Tale of Two Cities is Charles Dickens’ story of the French Revolution. It is set in London and Paris and follows several characters through their experiences during the historical upheaval. The theme of resurrection runs throughout A Tale of Two Cities, providing hope where there seems to be none. “Resurrection” can be defined as coming back to life after being dead, typically used on a spiritual level to describe the return of Jesus Christ. A Tale of Two Cities shares this theme for both societal and individual purposes.
A Tale of Two Cities begins with the evocation of death at the hands of Madame Defarge, who knits as she watches people be led to their execution. She enjoys watching men die, because she knows they will never come back (Dickens 2). This is symbolic resurrection in A Tale of Two Cities; although many characters are killed during or after major events in the novel , none stay dead very long . The popular phrase ” A tale/time/life of two cities ,” illustrates that life goes on despite suffering, giving rise to hope (Dictionary 1). A Tale of Two Cities shows that no matter how low a person can go, there is always room for resurrection.
Madame Defarge knits at the guillotine in A Tale of Two Cities (source). One example of A Tale of Two Cities’ Resurrection theme is in Sydney Carton’s actions towards Charles Darnay when he feels that his life no longer has meaning: ” 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” (Dickens 163). At this point, Carton’s life seems hopeless and pointless; his death will not bring back anyone who has been lost . He wants to die and be remembered as a hero (Dictionary 2).
However, he gains his sense of purpose and becomes determined to save Darnay instead. Another example is A Tale of Two Cities’ theme of resurrection in the individual characters. The novel starts with Dr. Alexandre Manette’s imprisonment at Bastille; he is imprisoned for eighteen years (Dickens 5). He does not come back to life until A Tale of Two Cities reaches its climax . A man who was killed before the revolution breaks out returns as a major character. A man also comes back from death as a ghost towards the end; Miss Pross describes him as “a shadow on the house-wall, darkening the room” (Dickens 488).
He appears in this form three times, each time warning the characters of danger. A Tale of Two Cities shows that resurrection is possible for individuals as well as masses. A third example of A Tale of Two Cities’ Resurrection theme is in The Idylls of the King, a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson. The Idylls starts with an invocation to Arthur’s queen, Guinevere. A Tale of Two Cities begins with an evocation to Madame Defarge; both characters are similar because they take pleasure in watching people die, knowing it will never affect them (Dickens 2).
A Tale of Two Cities includes the themes from The Idylls without copying its exact plot line. A verse from The Idylls : ” I saw the best of my time : Beauty, high courage, and the days of A Tale of Two Cities When every morn brought a noble chance , And every chance brought out a noble knight” (Tennyson). A Tale of Two Cities includes many instances of Resurrection . The theme gives A Tale of Two Cities a sense of hope where there seems to be none. A Tale of Two Cities is about the French Revolution and how it affected people in London and Paris.
The concept of resurrection is prevalent throughout A Tale of Two Cities. A common theme for Charles Dickens, the idea of death or refusing to die is important to note when studying A Tale of Two Cities.
The novel begins in 1775 with Charles Darnay traveling away from France on his way to England. A man named Jerry Cruncher watches over him and has an interest in him; perhaps thinking he can get money out of this fine-looking gentleman or maybe that there is some resemblance between them. The book then goes into a flashback that takes place in Paris during the French Revolution, when Charles Darnay was living in France under the name Gabelle. His fascination with Lucie Manette, the daughter of Dr. Alexandre Manette, a French physician imprisoned in the Bastille for eighteen years without trial, leads him to visit her father and develop an affectionate relationship with the family.
A bond was forged between Charles Darnay and Dr. Manette as they shared stories from their pasts together, but it wasn’t long before Charles was kidnapped by revolutionaries and sentenced to death; he only survives because of his noble birth. Dr. Manette has somewhat come out of his insanity caused by constant imprisonment and tries desperately to save Charles’ life:
The scene cuts back to London where Mr. Lorry is talking about Charles Darnay’s situation with Mr. Stryver (an attorney who employed Sydney Carton who seems unconcerned until Mr. Lorry mentions that Charles Darnay is engaged to marry Lucie Manette), and they conclude that this could possibly be the end of A Tale of Two Cities. However, Sydney Carton and Jerry Cruncher (the servant who watched over Charles) come back into the scene and we learn that Sydney has saved Charles by switching places with him.
Sydney Carton attempted to save A Tale of Two Cities’ protagonist, Charles Darnay, from his death sentence through a substitution during an execution at the guillotine. Sydney’s attempt failed as another man was mistaken for A Tale of Two Cities’ protagonist and executed instead; yet even after A Tale of Two Cities’ protagonist was rescued by Jerry Cruncher and Sydney himself, A Tale of Two Cities’ protagonist is sentenced to death as a spy because A Tale of Two Cities’ antagonist shows A Tale of Two Cities’ protagonist’s signature on a paper that A Tale of Two Cities’ protagonist claims he has never seen before.
In Book the Second, Doctor Manette and A Tale of Two Cities’ protagonist are imprisoned to make them confess information they do not know anything about, which makes A Tale of Two Cities’ protagonist say:
“Of all my words yet written, I believe
Those – were they all collected in a book –
To leave so much as one stray line unjust –
Were such a volume to be rotten-ripe –
Would turn its upmost edge on the A Tale of Two Cities’ protagonist
Abstruser Musings quite concealed from A Tale of Two Cities’ protagonist’s name. A Tale of Two Cities’ protagonist is A Tale of Two Cities’ antagonist!”