A TALE OF TWO CITIES

(Charles Dickens)

Q. Trade Mark of Dickens Humour and

Pathos

A Tale of Two Cities is essentially a serious and tragic novel

of Dickens but the outstanding quality of Dickens is that not of Humour is not
absent in it. Though it does not contain too much humour as we find in other
novels like Great Expectations and David Copperfield. Since the novel deals
with the most serious aspect of society, excess of humour would have marred
the tragic effect of novel. Despite that, the novelist introduces
humour through situations, characterizations, and incidents . Characters
like Miss Pross, Jerry Cruncher and Mr Stryver provide us with ample
humour.

Miss Pross is obviously a comic character, who has also

serious side to her personality. She has deep love for her mistress, Lucie, but
whenever she appears before us, she entertains us by her humourous behavior.
She is described by the novelist in the following manner

A wild-looking woman, all of a red colour,

Dressed in an extraordinary tight-fitting, wearing over

Her head a most wonderful bonnet

Her very appearance is humorous. She is in a habit of exaggeration. She feels

jealous of both Carton and Darnay because Lucie spends much time with
them. Her jealousy and exaggeration are also the source of humour for the
readers.

Jerry Cruncher, is another character who amuses us by his humourous

activities. The most humorous activities are related to his conjugal life
. He often calls himself an honest tradesman. Last of all when Mr Lorry
scolds him, he makes two promises before him that neither he would dig the
dead body from the grave nor he would beat his wife. This statement of Jerry is a
good source of humour.

Mr Stryver is another comic character who amuses by his humorous

activities not only, the readers but also the other characters of the novel.

Mr Lorry, provides us humour through his peculiarities . He is very

sincere to his profession but to the reader, it is a source of humour.
Besides these characters, there are also certain humorous remarks which the
author gives about the events of novel. For example: about Tellsons Bank,
Dickens points out the partners who ran this bank,

Were proud of its, Samllness, proud of its incommodiousness

Dickens is a great master of humour though the novel deals with most serious
and tragic aspect of society, he introduces humour with the same effect. A. J.
Wayyat appreciates Dickens as a great humourist. He points out

The humour of Dickens is his great quality

It makes everything, he wrote, unmistakably
Characteristic of him
Inseparable from the note of humour, note of Pathos is also present in it. As it is

a genuine tragedy , so an emotional effect is to be necessary.

Pathos is a chief emotional effect found in a true tragedy

As the background of the novel is French Revolution, so it describes the

sufferings and miseries of human beings. To import a good effect, the writer
alloys fear with pathos. In this regard, first of all life of Dr Manetter is to be
observed.

Dr Manetter has to suffer merely because he cannot tolerate the sufferings

of a boy and a girl wo were the victims of Evremond Brother. When he informs,
Evremonde Brothers capture him and put him in prison for eighteen years.
During these years, his wife passed away and his only daughter, Lucie, is
brought up by others. These horrible sufferings affect Dr Manette bitterly and he
becomes a mad person. His madness is a great kind of pathos in the novel. After
a long imprisonment, when Dr Manetter comes back, he is like a ghost which is
unfit in the world of human beings. However, by Lucies care and love, he comes
into his senses. But again, Dr Manetter gets the most severe shock when later in
the novel the revolutionaries decide to put Darnay to death. In this way, the
whole life of Dr Manetter is a story of horrible sufferings.

Beside Dr Manetter, other character like Lucie, Darny and Carton also suffer
a lot and provide a source of pathos in the novel. When Carton sacrifices his life
for Lucie, when Lucie stands near the prison of Darnay so that he might see her
and when Darnay is worried for his wife and daughter after his death
punishment, all are very pathetic situations. Similarly, when Carton says to
himself that, No one in the world cares for me is also very pathetic.
Similarly, other situations also exhibit sufferings and pathos in the novel. For
example, at the beginning of the novel, the scene of hunger which is rampant in
the superb of Saint Antoine in Paris is a pathetic scene. The burning of Chateau
shows the extreme, pathetic situation. The tyranny of Marquis Evermonde shows
the sufferings of people and provide an element of pathos in the novel.

In short, A Tale of Two Cities is a tragic novel but it has also humorous
aspects. Dickens superb handling of both humour and pathos in the novel gives
him distinction among other novelists.
 THE THEME OF THE NOVEL
A Tale of Two Cities, is quite different from Dickens other novels merely
because it reveals many moral and social problems in it. Since the background of
the novel is French Revolution, it deals with the historical facts. At the same, the
writer discussed some moral problems in it. Theme of exploitation and injustice,
them of love, of resurrection and renunciation are its different themes. These
various themes are so much interlinked that the structural unity of the novel is
neve disturbed by them.

Though an interesting story, Dickens throws light on the theme of the

problems of exploitation and injustice in the society. First, he tells us
how the aristocrats used the common class as the vehicle for their entertainment
and exploited them for their individual pleasure. We come to know, about a girl
and a boy who are the victims of Evremonde brother and they have to give up
their lives. Later on, when Dr Manetter helps them and tries to inform
government official he is also captured and imprisoned for 18 years.
Evremonde also crushes the child of a poor man and shows no sympathy over
his death. The exploitation and injustice is shown also on the part of mob of
revolutionaries. The novelist says that the mob of the revolutionaries is like
demons who have no contact with humanity. The depiction of the violence of
the mob of the revolutionaries, when it rushes towards the Bastille to take
revenge against the aristocrats, and the scene of hanging of Foulon and his son-
in-law are other examples of exploitation and injustice.

Another theme, presented in this novel, Is the theme of love which is the
most, appealing theme because of its depth. Sydney Cartons love presented as
one of the most motivating forces. There are the characters in the novel who
love one another very much. Miss Prose, who is the caretaker of Lucie, loves her
very much. Dickens, through the final tussle between Madame Defarge and Mis
Prose, suggests that the vigorous tenacity of love always overcomes the
hate. Charles Darnay, Dr Manetter and Lucie are the characters who love on
another very much. Carton is the symbol of love because he sacrifices his life for
the sake of one whom he loves very much. K. J Fielding point out regarding love
theme:

Love standing for all the forces of life, lasting power and
goodness is shown

to be as strange and wonderful as,

the steps which lead Madame Defarge to her fate;

as the ways by which hidden account comes to light,

by the prisoner of One Hundred Five, North Tower;

as the first meeting of Carton and Darney; or

the reunion of Miss Prose and her brother Soloman;

as the essentially profound secret and mystery of every human

creature . . . to very other

The main theme of A Tale of Two Cities is not to tell the story of the
two cities of London and Paris alone, nor it is a story about French Revolution. Its
central theme is the theme of Resurrection or Regeneration. From the
beginning of the story with Mr Lorrys message Recaled to Life, to the end with
Sydney Cartons I am the Resurrection and the life. . ., Dickens repeatedly
insits on this theme. In this novel, resurrection has also been related to
renunciation.

Recalled to Life, these words at the very beginning of the story are very
significant as Mr Lorry accompanied by Miss Lucie is going to Paris to bring Dr
Manette to London. Dr Manettes imprisonment of 18 years seems to Mr Lorry a
kind of burial in a grave from which Dr Manetter rises. The return of Dr Manette
from insanity to sanity is a second resurrection. This resurrection is brought
about by Lucies nursing, service, loving care and affection.

There is Darnay who is rescued from death, thrice. Three times he is saved
from his death. It is a kind of resurrection or re-birth for Darnay. First resurrection
comes when he is released after his trial at Old Bailey. His second resurrection
takes place when he is rescued from the prison of La Force and his trial at
France. His third resurrection is more important. This is when his is re-arrested,
trialed and sentenced to death. It is Carton who impersonates as Darnay and
replaced by him, Thus , Carton remains in prison and Darnay comes out of the
prison in guise of Carton and his life is saved.

Carton himself is an example of resurrection, a real resurrection in Christian

sense. His resurrection takes place in two ways Firstly, his death makes Spirital
resurrection by him. By his sacrifice, Carton, who had been leading a life of
profligacy, is morally regenerated. The second resurrection takes place when he
formulates his bold plan to save Darnays life, the words of Christian Burial
Service echo in his ears,

I am the resurrection and the life, whosoever liveth and believth

in me shall never die

These words work as a promise that who believes on Christ is immortal.

These words echo in Cartons ears when he is executed. Thus, he dies, with the
belief that he will find himself alive in another world. Through the moral
regeneration of Sydney Carton, Dickens shows the remedy of moral and social
disorder. That is what A Tale of Two Cities is all about, this is what makes the
story not just a tale of two cities during French Revolution but a tale of all people
and all times. This is what makes the French Revolution a revolution of people
everywhere in order to oppose oppressions. The theme of the novel gives it as
much pertinence today as Dickens, perhaps more.

In short, Dickens handling of different theme in the story shows his mastery
in novel writing.