A Tale of Two Cities Synopsis It is 1775, and social unrest is prevalent in both France and England.

A woman, Lucie Manette, hears news that her father whom she supposed dead has been found in France. Once she finds her father in the keeping of a Mr. Defarge, she finds that her father, Doctor Manette, has been driven mad by the years and experiences he got from being imprisoned in the Bastilles, and has picked up the habit of making shoes. Lorry, the man who accompanies Lucie, assures her that Manette will be back in his proper mind through her love and devotion for him, hence the message Recalled to Life which Lorry replies to Cruncher, the man who had instructed Lorry to wait and accompany Lucie to her father. Five years later, the narrator tells of a man, Charles Darnay, who is accused of treason against the English crown. Stryver, a lawyer, pleads for his case, but not without the help of his assistant Sydney Carton. Carton wins the argument by pointing out the fact that he himself has a striking resemblance to Darnay, and because of it, the authorities cannot be entirely sure that Darnay was the spy they saw. Lucie and her father watch the proceedings, with Darnay earning Lucies sympathy. That evening, Carton accompanies Darnay to a tavern, and sees in Darnay everything that he could have become; resentment then grows in Carton. Meanwhile, in France, the Marquis Evremonde runs over a child, and shows no remorse for it. He then rushes to his home to wait for his nephew Darnay. Once he arrives, however, Darnay curses his uncle and the French system, particularly the aristocrats, for their cruel treatment to the peasantries, and departs immediately. That night, the Marquis is murdered; with the murderer leaving a note. A year later, Darnay and Carton confess their love for Lucie. Darnay proposes marriage, with the condition that he will tell Lucies father about himself and his identity if Lucie accepts his proposal. Carton also pledges his love for Lucie, but also tells her that she has lifted him out of his worthlessness, helping him dream better for himself. In Paris, an English spy named Barsad passes through Defarges wine shop in the hopes of turning up evidence against the building revolution, as Defarges wife quietly sits in the shop while knitting the names of those who are to be killed by the revolution. Darnay keeps his promise to Manette, resulting in the latter coming back to his old prison habit. After nine days, Manette comes back to his proper mind and joins the newlyweds on their honeymoon. Carton asks for Darnays friendship, and Darnay assures him that he is always welcome in their home. Eight years later, the French Revolution begins. The French people storm the Bastilles and kill the aristocrats in the streets. The Evremondes servant, Gabelle, is imprisoned by the revolutionaries. Gabelle writes a letter to Darnay asking to be saved. In spite of danger, Darnay journeys to France, but as soon as he arrives, he is arrested as an emigrant. His wife Lucie and Manette attempt to save Darnay; Manette uses his experience in the Bastilles to earn the sympathy of the revolutionaries.

However, Darnay is arrested again as soon as he was set free, this time by Defarge and his wife. During his trial, Defarge brings a letter he discovered from Manettes old jail cell, explaining the caue of Manettes imprisonment. It turns out that Darnays father and uncle (the Marquis Evremonde) had enlisted Manettes medical services for a woman whom one of the brothers had raped, and for her brother who was stabbed fatally by the other brother. Fearful that Manette might report to the authorities the things they have done, they had him imprisoned. Darnay is then condemned to die for the sins of his ancestors, and is sentenced to execution within 24 hours. Fortunately, Carton arrives in Paris to rescue Darnay. He obtains the help of Barsad, who is actually the brother of Lucies loyal servant. Carton overhears Defarges wifes plans to have Darnays immediate family also executed; he also learns that Defarges wife is the sister of the siblings who were wronged by the Evremondes. Carton devises an elaborate plan to save Darnay; which involved tricking Darnay to change clothes with him, dictating a letter of explanation, and drugging Darnay afterwards. In effect, Darnay is saved along with his family, while Carton is executed. Defarges wife fails to have Darnays family arrested and executed, and finds Lucies servant in their place. A fight ensues, leaving Defarges wife dead by her own gun.

Themes and Issues The novel elaborates on the relationships between aristocrats and peasants. The novel has shown how the French aristocracy has cruelly treated the peasants by oppressing and continually exploiting them, not caring about the consequences of their actions as shown by the scene where Marquis Evremonde runs over a child. The novel also shows us how the peasants tried to overcome this social injustice by likewise using revenge, oppression and violence, as shown in the scene where the peasants killed aristocrats in the streets. In effect, the fight between the French aristocracy and the peasants is a tooth-for-tooth, eye-to-eye battle. Although the French revolution was a big symbolic event in the history of France, wherein it represented the liberation of the people against oppressing forces, it did not demonstrate morality in the sense that the peasants only attained their so-called liberation because they used violence. The novel also demonstrated the notion that sacrifice is necessary to attain happiness. This is shown in the scenario where Carton exchanges his life for Darnays, with the following consequences: Darnay and his family will live on, while Carton dies knowing that his life had become one filled with purpose and meaning.

Use of Novel to Represent Social Reality

The author juxtapositioned it with real-time events to better illustrate what was happening to England and France; particularly, he made it such that the events in what he wrote were the catalysts of the French revolution and the subsequent behaviour of the people.

Comparison with Noli and Fili Tale of Two Cities character Charles Darnay Noli/Fili character Crisostomo Ibarra Similarities They are both idealistic, with both siding with the peasants and abhorring the cruel treatment of the upper class to the lower class. Both are fuelled by revenge because of personal tragedies. Madame Defarge was vengeful because her siblings were treated horribly by the Evremonde aristocracy, while Simoun was vengeful because his ideologies were destroyed by the Spanish priests. Both are mysterious characters in the sense that readers wont know their personal histories until the turning points of the novels. Both characters have transformed during the course of the novel. Carton changed himself from a worthless man to a man full of purpose. Basilio strived to complete his education despite his struggles against the government and his involvement with SImoun,. Simoun transformed negatively.

Madame Defarge

Simoun

Doctor Manette

Elias

Sydney Carton

Simoun, Basilio