A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens: Plot and Theme

 

A Tale of Two Cities: A Summary

 Charles Dickens is a novelist of the 19th century. He belongs to England. He portrays the town living and miserable conditions of middle class in his novels. As a social reformer Dickens employs fiction as a platform for his social appeal. Humor and pain are major elements in his novels.

A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens is a well-known novel. It describes the happenings of the two cities - Paris and London during French Revolution. The author has described the incidents and characters of both the cities. Here the characters of the novel move freely from Paris to London. Hence, the writer has appropriately named the novel as A Tale of Two Cities.

The plot of this work of fiction is compact, well constructed, economical and dramatic. It is full of suspense and drama. In this novel the purpose of the writer is not to depict the French Revolution in detail. He has simply taken some of the occurrences of French Revolution. With that background he has woven the plot of the novel. He discusses the woes and troubles of the common man. He describes the life of the people with their political and social problems.

 The tale of A Tale of Two Cities is very appealing. Dr. Alexander Manette has been locked up for 18 years. His beautiful daughter Lucie brings him to London after his discharge. Due to her care Dr. Manette gets well physically and psychologically. Miss Lucie falls in love with Darnay. Darnay's father and uncle were guilty for the suffering of her father. In spite of that Manette allows Darnay to marry his daughter. They are wedded.

 Once Mr. Darnay visits Paris. Since the French Revolution was ongoing, he is detained there. Eventually he is sentenced to death. Dr. Manette and Lucie go there to save his life. He is released but he is again detained. Now Sydney Carton plans to save the life of Darnay for the sake of his favorite Lucie. Carton loves Lucie earnestly even after her wedding to Darnay. He takes help of the jailor who takes out the unconscious Darnay from the jail. Carton replaces Darnay in the jail and dies for him for the sake of his beloved Lucie.

 

Thus A Tale of Two Cities is a very interesting and appealing work of fiction. Dickens has narrated the tale excellently well. He has cast his spell on the readers. The interest of the readers in the novel never flags. The suspense in the novel goes on mounting. Here the author has blended humor and pathos excellently.