ATaleofTwoCities:TheThemeofResurrection

RachelMelton
March31st,2014

ATaleofTwoCitiesfeaturesoneofthemostwidelyrecognizedopeninglinesinEnglish
literature.Throughoutthenovel,eachlineoftheparadoxicalintroductionisfulfilledintheactionsofboth
theprotagonistsandthepeopleofFranceduringtherevolution.Notonlywasittheageofwisdom,it
wastheageoffoolishness.Notonlywasittheseasonoflight,itwastheseasonofdarkness.Notonly
wasitthespringofhope,itwasthewinterofdespair.However,inthemidstofallofthedarknessand
despair,thethemeofresurrectionshinesthroughinDickenswords,buildingupuntiltheclimaxofthe
book,whereitisshownastheexpressionofthegreatestlovetheworldhaseverknown.
The first instance of resurrection can be seen in the second chapter, as the reader is transported
to a coach that is traveling on a dark and foggy night. As the coach travels through the dark and the
passengers spend their time distrusting each other, Jerry, the messenger for one of the passengers,
approaches the coach and delivers a message. The reply given to him is simply the words Recalled to
Life. These mysterious words hold a deeper meaning and although they are a mystery to the
messenger, they tell the story of a man long imprisoned in his cell who is to be set free. One of the
passengers in the coach, Jarvis Lorry by name, is on his way to France, where he is to reunite an man,
longimprisoned,withhisdaughter.Alongtheway,Lorryholdsaninnerconversationwiththeoldman.
"Youknowthatyouarerecalledtolife?"
"Theytellmeso."
"Ihopeyoucaretolive?"
"Ican'tsay."

LorryhasdoubtsastowhetherornotManette,theman,willwishtobefreed,andhisdoubtsare
justified,asthemanismentallyweakenedfromaneighteenyearimprisonment.Nonetheless,Manetteis
setfreeandinbeingreturnedtohisdaughter,isrecalledtolifeandresurrectedfromtheeighteenyear
entombmentoftheBastille.
ThesecondmajorinstanceofresurrectionisfoundwhenCharlesDarnay,asuspectedspyand
traitor,isontrialforhislife.Duringthetrial,withbloodthirstyonlookersonallsides,Darnayhasonly
twooptions.OnonehandDarnayfacesalongandterribledeathfortreason,andontheotherhandhe
hasfreedom.Afteraratherunexpectedturnofevents,doubtisfoundinthemindsofthejuryand
Darnayisfreedandallowedtoreturntohisnormallife.Asstated,"Ifyouhadsentthemessage,
'RecalledtoLife,'again,"mutteredJerry,asheturned,"Ishouldhaveknownwhatyoumeant,thistime."
Bythetimethebookdrawstoaclose,thethemeofresurrectionhasbeenfullydeveloped.As
repeatednumeroustimes,"Iamtheresurrectionandthelife,saiththeLord:hethatbelievethinme,
thoughheweredead,yetshallhelive:andwhosoeverlivethandbelievethinme,shallneverdie."As
SydneyCartonappearsonthestage,headedforcertaindeath,thesewordsseemalmostcontradictory,
untilthereaderrealizesthattheydonotspeakofanaturaldeath.Carton,oncedespairinganddesolate,
hasbeenresurrectedandgivenasecondchanceatabetterlife.
ThethemeofresurrectionisnothardtofindinATaleofTwoCities.Itcanbefoundall
throughoutthework.FirstDr.Manetteisdrawnbackfromtheworldofthelivingdead,thenCharles
Darnayissnatchedfromdeathsclutches.AlthoughCartondidnotlivethroughtherevolution,his
resurrectionwasjustaspowerful,possiblymoreso,asitisoneofadifferentnature.Cartonmayhave
diedphysically,buthelivedhisfinalmomentsasanewman.Cartonlivedvictoriouslyandhedied
victoriousoverthepowersoftheworld.Yes,thesepowerstookhimtohisgrave,butCartonwent

willingly,knowingthathehadnothingtofear.SydneyCartonwasresurrectedtoabetterlifebythe
poweroflove,justasJesusChristwasresurrectedtolifebytheloveofhisFather,andwecanbe
resurrectedtoabetterlifebythelovethatChristhasforus.