‘A Tale of Two Cities’, a novel written by Charles Dickens is a historical fiction and political commentary set in the 18th century and published in the 19th century. The novel, ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ was published in a serialised manner ‘All the Year Round’ from 30 April 1859 to 29 November 1859. The novel was later compiled into three books. ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ is set in France ๐ซ๐ท and London ๐ฌ๐ง, narrating the impacts of French Revolution and the Reign of Terror.
“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”.
A Tale of Two Cities: Book I, Chapter 1
Book the First: Recalled to Life
Book I of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ has six chapters ๐ which are as follows:
Chapter I: The Period ๐๏ธ
Chapter II: The Mail ๐ฉ
Chapter III: The Night Shadows ๐
Chapter IV: The Preparation ๐๏ธ
Chapter V: The Wine-shop ๐ท
Chapter VI: The Shoemaker ๐
Jerry Cruncher to Dover
‘A Tale of Two Cities’ begins in the late 1775 and Jerry Cruncher has come from London to Dover in the night ๐ mail-coach ๐. Jerry Cruncher is an employee of the Tellson’s Bank ๐ฆ in London has come to forward a message๐ญ to one of his bank ๐ฆ managers, Jarvis Lorry. Lorry responds to Jerry as ‘Recalled to Life’, ๐ฒ which implies that the French physician, Alexandre Manette, who had been imprisoned in Bastille for 18 years is released ๐ and is alive ๐ฏ.
Lucie Realises her Father is Alive๐ฎ
Lucie Manette, daughter of Dr. Alexander Manette is unaware ๐ that her father is alive. She is under the guard ๐ of her Governess, Miss Pross. She is met by Lorry and the news ๐๏ธ is forwarded. She faints ๐ฒ hearing the news as she believed her father was dead all these years. Lucie is taken to France ๐ซ๐ท by Lorry for their reunion.
The Reunion ๐จโ๐ง
Lorry and Lucie reach Paris ๐. They meet Dr.Alexander Manette as a shoemaker ๐ฅพ lodged by his former srevants, Ernest Defarge ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ and his wife Therese ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ in the poverty-stricken neighbourhood ๐๏ธ of the Faubourg Saint-Antoine. Ernest Defarge and Therese Defarge runs a wine shop ๐ท๐ป. Lucie finds her father ๐ in garret making shoes ๐ข, a profession he has learnt from the prison. Dr. Manette couldn’t recognise ๐ถ his daughter at first, but realises later ๐ฑ as she resembles her mother.
Book the Second: The Golden Thread
Book II of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ ๐ consists of 24 chapters which are titled as follows:
Chapter I: Five Years Later ๐
Chapter II: A Sight ๐ง
Chapter III: A Disappointment ๐
Chapter IV: Congratulatory ๐
Chapter V: The Jackal ๐ฆ
Chapter VI: Hundreds of People ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ๐ฉโ๐ฆณ
Chapter VII: Monseigneur in Town ๐
Chapter VIII: Monseigneur in the Country ๐
Chapter IX: The Gorgonโs Head ๐จ
Chapter X: Two Promises ๐ค
Chapter XI: A Companion Picture ๐ฌ
Chapter XII: The Fellow of Delicacy ๐ค
Chapter XIII: The Fellow of No Delicacy ๐ฆ
Chapter XIV: The Honest Tradesman ๐ต
Chapter XV: Knitting ๐งต
Chapter XVI: Still Knitting ๐งถ
Chapter XVII: One Night ๐
Chapter XVIII: Nine Days ๐๐๏ธ
Chapter XIX: An Opinion ๐คจ
Chapter XX: A Plea ๐
Chapter XXI: Echoing Footsteps ๐ฃ
Chapter XXII: The Sea Still Rises ๐
Chapter XXIII: Fire Rises ๐ฅ
Chapter XXIV: Drawn to the Loadstone Rock ๐
Who is Charles Darney?
Book II of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ begins by 1780 that a man named Charles Darney, a French immigrant, was kept on trial ๐ in London charging treason against Britain. John Barsad and Roger Cly were brought as witnesses ๐ against Darney. Darney’s lawyer also pointed ๐ out that Sydney Carton, a depressed cynical drunkard ๐ฅ, strongly resembles Darney. Thus Darney was acquitted ๐ as testimony of Barsad was also weakened.
The Cruel Marquis St. Evrรฉmonde
“Repression is the only lasting philosophy. The dark deference of fear and slavery, my friend,” observed the Marquis, “will keep the dogs obedient to the whip, as long as this roof,” looking up to it, “shuts out the sky.”
A Tale of Two Cities: Book II, Chapter 9, Marquis St. Everรฉmonde
Marquis St.Evrรฉmonde is a stone hearted man who hails from the aristocratic ๐ฏ family of Paris, St. Evrรฉmonde. He is so cruel ๐ that he even killed a child ๐ง running his carriage ๐ over the child in busy streets ๐ฃ๏ธ and later throws a coin ๐ฐ upon his father Gaspard as a compensation for his loss ๐ฐ.
Will Gaspard be satisfied with the coin that Marquis St. Evrรฉmonde throws on him or will he take revenge upon the loss of his child ๐คจ?
Charles Darney, the Heir of St.Evrรฉmonde
“A multitude of people, and yet a solitude!”
A Tale of Two Cities: Charles Darnay, Book 2, Chapter 6
Charles Darney is the nephew of Marquis St.Evrรฉmonde but he hates ๐his family for committing crimes ๐ก๏ธ๐ซand being cruel ๐ to people around him. Thus he changes โก๏ธ his surname from St.Evrรฉmonde and adapts his mother’s anglicised maiden’s name D’Aulnais and changes it to Darney. That is how he became Charles Darney๐ค .
What are the brutalities done by the St.Evrรฉmondes to others ๐ค? What has made him hate his own family that forced him to change his surname? โ๏ธ
Gaspard Takes Revenge ๐ก
Gaspard enters the chรขteau, the manor house where Marquis leaves. He was murdered by Gaspard when sleeping ๐ด. He avoided to surrender himself but was caught and hanged after a year.
The Love Triangle in London ๐
“For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything. If my career were of that better kind that there was any opportunity or capacity of sacrifice in it, I would embrace any sacrifice for you and for those dear to you. Try to hold me in your mind, at some quiet times, as ardent and sincere in this one thing. The time will come, the time will not be long in coming, when new ties will be formed about you [โฆ] O Miss Manette, [โฆ] when you see your own bright beauty springing up anew at your feet, think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you!”
A Tale of Two Cities: Book II, Chapter 13, Sydney Carton
Sydney Carton proposes to ๐ Lucie which is rejected by her. But Sydney Carton promises to sacrifice โบ๏ธ anything for her anytime. Later Charles Darney seeks the permission of Dr.Alexander Manette to marry Lucie. Dr.Manette is happy ๐ to get her married ๐ฐ to him.
What Makes Dr.Manette Move to Paris Again ๐?
Dr.Manette comes to know about the family ties ๐ of Charles Darney and his kinship with the Evrรฉmondes. Dr.Manette is upset ๐ hearing it and decides to move ๐ to Paris and continue with the shoe making ๐. His disappointment ๐ isn’t shared with his daughter, Lucie.
Why was Dr.Alexander Manette disappointed ๐ as he heard of Darney’s relation with the Evrรฉmondes? Is there anything that makes him upset about ๐ them or have the Evermondes been cruel to Dr.Manette ๐ค?
Little Lucie ๐ถ
Charles Darney and Lucie begin to build up their family. Lucie gives birth ๐คฐ to a son, who dies โฐ๏ธ in his childhood and later a girl ๐ง๐ป, who is called little Lucie. Lorry and Carton too visit them often. Carton becomes the favourite of little Lucie.
The Storming of the Bastille ๐๏ธ
In July 1789, the Defarges in Paris led the storming in Bastille ๐ซ๏ธ and slaughtered ๐ก๏ธ the aristocratic ๐ข and official representatives of the country. The chรขteau of St.Evremonde is also burnt ๐ฅ. The storming in Bastille ๐ซ๏ธ is symbol of royal tyranny. While being a part of revolution, they also searches ๐ the prison cell where Dr.Alexander Manette lived.
Darnay to Paris ๐ซ๐ท
Lorry goes to Paris to collect the documents ๐๏ธ from the Paris’ branch of Tellson’s Bank ๐ฆ in 1792. Darney also decides to go to Paris ๐ค as he receives a letter โ๏ธ from Gabelle, an imprisoned former servant of his uncle, Marquis St. Evrรฉmonde pleaded ๐ to help him release from the jail. Darnay, as the heir of Evrรฉmonde moves to Paris to set out his duties ๐ but this isn’t revealed within his family ๐ถ.
Book the Third – The Track of a Storm
Book III of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ comprises of 15 chapters which are as follows:
Chapter I: In Secret ๐คซ
Chapter II: The Grindstone โ๏ธ
Chapter III: The Shadow ๐ฟ
Chapter IV: Calm in Storm ๐ช๏ธ
Chapter V: The Wood-Sawyer ๐ช
Chapter VI: Triumph ๐ฏ
Chapter VII: A Knock at the Door ๐ช
Chapter VIII: A Hand at Cards โ ๏ธโฃ๏ธ
Chapter IX: The Game Made ๐ฒ
Chapter X: The Substance of the Shadow ๐ฌ๏ธ
Chapter XI: Dusk ๐
Chapter XII: Darkness ๐
Chapter XIII: Fifty-two 5๏ธโฃ2๏ธโฃ
Chapter XIV: The Knitting Done ๐งฃ
Chapter XV: The Footsteps Die Out For Ever ๐ท
Darnay is Imprisoned ๐
Book III of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ begins when Darnay is arrested ๐ฃ for being an illegal aristocratic emigrant and is jailed in La Force Prison. His family ๐ช, being restless ๐ฅ, moves to Paris near Lorry’s housing to save him. He is released from jail after 15 months ๐ค as Dr.Manette testifies in favour of him. Unfortunately, he is arrested again ๐ฅด.
Why is Darnay re-arrested ๐ค? Can his family save him again ๐คจ?
Solomon = Barsad
๐ฎโโ๏ธ = ๐ต๏ธ
Miss Pross, the guardian of Lucie is happy ๐ to find her long lost brother Solomon while running erands with Jerry. Solomon is an employee of the French revolutionary authority as well as the prison officer ๐ฎ of Darnay. But Carton memorises ๐ฎ him as Barsad ๐ต๏ธ, the spy who tried to defame Darnay in his 1780 trial โ๏ธ. Carton uses his his hidden identity ๐ญ as an opportunity to blackmail ๐ Solomon and execute his plan to help ๐ค Darnay.
Why was Darnay Rearrested ๐ค?
Darnay was re-arrested based on the denunciations by the Defarges. The manuscript ๐ that the Defarges found in the prison cell of Dr.Manette says that he had been jailed as he tried to report ๐ the crimes of the Evrรฉmondes. The Evrรฉmonde brothers, the father and uncle of Darnay had kidnapped, raped and killed ๐ก๏ธ a poor peasant ๐ณโโ๏ธ girl and her brother ๐ณโโ๏ธ who came to confront them by hiding their younger sister ๐ง๐ป. The court decides to punish Darnay for the sins ๐ซ for his elders and is ordered to die ๐ฅบ by the next afternoon in the guillotine ๐๏ธ.
This was why Dr.Alexander Manette was disappointed on hearing that Darnay was a heir of the Evrรฉmondes ๐. But why did the Defarges report against Darnay ๐คจ?
Madame Defarge: The Surviving Younger Sister ๐ง๐ป
Judge you! Is it likely that the trouble of one wife and mother would be much to us now?
A Tale of Two Cities: Madame Defarge, Book 3, Chapter 3
Sydney Carton comes to know that Madame Defarge is the surviving younger sister ๐ง๐ป of whom the Evrรฉmondes killed. She has planned to take revenge ๐ by attacking Lucie and her family ๐ช. Carton overhears ๐ her as he visits her wineshop๐ท. Carton says Lorry to care ๐ค of Lucie and her family ๐ถ as well as to take her out of the place by 2pm ๐ in a carriage ๐ the next day where he waits.
Sydney Carton as Charles Darnay ๐คจ
Carton is into implementing his plans. Carton covinces Solomon ๐ฎโโ๏ธ to get into Darnay’s prison. After getting in the prison, Carton drugs ๐ฌ Darnay and both their clothes ๐ are exchanged ๐. Carton who resembles Darnay is ready to die for Lucie, so that she can live happily ๐. Darnay is taken to the carriage ๐ where Lucie and family waits. They flee to England ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ and Darnay gains his consciousness ๐ in the midst of the journey ๐ฃ๏ธ.
Madame Defarge on her Way
Madame Defarge hoping to kill ๐ซ Lucie finds Miss Pross in her lodging ๐๏ธ who is waiting for Jerry to move out of Paris. They indulge in a fight ๐ฅต where the pistol ๐ซ discharges which kills Madame Defarge ๐ and deafens Miss Pross ๐.
Sydney Carton is Guillotined ๐
“I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die.”
A Tale of Two Cities: Book III, Chapter 15, Sydney Carton
Carton waits for the tumbril, ๐ the vehicle that takes them to guillotine. Meanwhile he meets another prisoner, a seamstress who is also waiting for the tumbril ๐ to be guillotined. Carton comforts ๐ her saying that they are moving to the best of lands ๐จ๏ธ and where these worldly worries ๐ won’t touble them. He dreams ๐ that he, who was valued by none, will now be santuaried in the hearts ๐ of Lucie and her family and his soul ๐ฌ๏ธ will be honored than anyone’s by them.
“I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence. I see her, an old woman, weeping for me on the anniversary of this day. I see her and her husband, their course done, lying side by side in their last earthly bed, and I know that each was not more honoured and held sacred in the other’s soul than I was in the souls of both”.
A Tale of Two Cities: Book III, Chapter 15, Sydney Carton
‘A Tale of Two Cities’: A Tale Set in Paris ๐ซ๐ท and London ๐ฌ๐ง
“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”.
A Tale of Two Cities: Book III, Chapter 15, Sydney Carton
‘A Tale of Two Cities‘ is a novel ๐ that sketches the events and disturbance ๐ that happened during the French Revolution. There were no sensible ๐คจ reasons to get punished. Everything seems to be confused ๐. Nothing remained proper. The whole world ๐ was in its improper state. This unstability ๐ฉ is explained in the novel. Nobody knows, why and when the prisoners where punished ๐.ย
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