A Tale of Two Cities Analysis

“But that Woodman and that Farmer, though they work unceasingly,
work silently, and no one heard them as they went about with muffled tread: the
rather, forasmuch as to entertain any suspicion that they were awake, was to be
atheistical and traitorous.” (Dickens,4) This passage is taken from the first chapter of
“A Tale of Two Cities”. It explains how the people in France were suppressed and if
the workers –including farmers, woodmen—expressed their fear of the bad times;
they would surely be executed or tortured. From the first pages of the book, the reader
finds himself in a chaotic atmosphere due to all pressure that is on the shoulders of the
citizens. In the following chapters of the book, we encounter a carriage and
passengers. However, none of them speaks to one another because nobody knows if
they are pickpockets, a member of a mob or an atheist kind of person. Overall, the
countries France and England are both struggling.

In the chapter “Monseigneur in the Town” the inequality between the social
classes in 18th century France was very obvious and Dickens underlines it frequently.
He also uses a sarcastic tone in doing so. In the following quote of Marquis(a noble
man in France) runs over a kid with his carriage and his reaction is shocking: “It is
extraordinary to me,” said he, “that you people cannot take care of yourselves and
your children. One or the other of you is forever in the way. How do I know what
injury you have done my horses. See! Give him that.”(Dickens, 103) Marquis worries
about his horses instead of the life of an innocent child. As seen obviously in the
quote, Dickens humorously shows how brutal the aristocrats were at that time in
France. Dickens also describes the château and life of Marquis in a critical tone and
shows the vast gap between the commoners and the nobility. In each sentence, he
explains the reasons for the French Revolution. Furthermore, Dranay renounces his
surname as the nephew of Marquis because he doesn’t approve this over-luxurious
life.

The ambitious, nobility-striving and emotionless Mr. Stryver represented the

men in 18th century who were between trying to be a noble even though they were
not. He literally strives for money in contrast to Carton. He even attempts to marry
Lucie to get a title. The struggle between classes is shown by means of this character.
Carton, on the other hand, is humble and is regretting for his past. Carton sees
himself, but a lucky one, in Darnay. The reason why he sacrifices himself in the end
for Lucie and Darnay is because he wants to be someone useful and wants to be
remembered as a valuable man.

The book “A Tale of Two Cities” lacked strong women. In the 18th century, of
course, women were seen as weaker creatures than men. In the book there were
chapters: “Knitting” and “Still Knitting”. In these chapters, Madame Defarge kept
knitting while her husband actively participating in the conversation mostly. However,
after that chapter the role of Madame Defarge changed a lot and she become a
merciless person and acted with a vengeance. She wanted to take revenge of her sister
who was killed by the Marquis and therefore witnessed against Darnay. She even shed
blood. In the book it is told that she killed a man: “Eh, well! Here you see me!” said
madame, composed as ever, but not knitting to-day. Madame’s resolute right hand was
occupied with an axe, in place of the usual softer implements, and in her girdle were a
pistol and a cruel knife. … To me, women!” cried madame his wife. “What! We can
kill as well as the men when the place is taken!” And to her, with a shrill thirsty cry,
trooping women variously armed, but all armed alike in hunger and
revenge.” (Dickens, 199) This part of the book was very important because, the first
time in the book, a woman character took an active role in rebelling or expressing
herself. Maybe Dickens didn’t intend to give feminist message but we can comment
that it represented the hidden power of women in that century. However Lucie was
portrayed as a naïve and weak lady and she was admired by the society, in a way she
was the idyllic woman of her time. After Darnay was arrested she even went to a
wood strawyer’s to see her husband and wave hand at him. Despite her love towards
him, she just waits and can not take an active part to give her husband freedom. Her
attempts to see her husband are explained in the following part: “From that time, in all
weathers, she waited there two hours. As the clock struck two, she was there, and at
four she turned resignedly away. When it was not too wet or inclement for her child to
be with her, they went together; at other times she was alone; but, she never missed a
single day. (Dickens, 259)

The crucial fear that the people had in 18th century was probably being
executed by La Guillotine. “It was the popular theme for jests; it was the best cure for
headache, it infallibly prevented the hair from turning grey, it imparted a peculiar
delicacy to the complexion, it was the National Razor which shaved close: who kissed
La Guillotine, looked through the little window and sneezed into the sack. It was the
sign of the regeneration of the human race. It superseded the Cross. Models of it were
worn on breasts from which the Cross was discarded, and it was bowed down to and
believed in where the Cross was denied.” (Dickens, 256) As Dickens previously
narrates in the book, courtrooms were filled with people who waited to curse traitors
and see them hanged.