A Tale of Two Cities Essays: A Sad Tale Of Two Cities :: Tale Two Cities Essays

A Tale Of Two Cities The focus of A Tale Of Two Cities concerns the impetus and fervor of eighteenth century European socio-political turmoil, its consequences, and what Dickens presents as the appropriate resolution of an enlightened grandeur and in force(p) citizenry.   The tale opens with Dr. Manettte having spent the last 18 eld of his life in the Bastille - innocent of all crimes save his disdain for the base actions of a french Marquis. The heinous nature of his confinement induced a madness remedied plainly by the devoted love of his Lucie.   We next encounter these characters five years later attending the trial of Charles Darnay - a nobly born cut immigrant who relinquished his station rather than partake in the barbarous split structure of 18th century France.   The beautiful and virtuous Lucie Manette is admired by both Sydney Carton and his repugnant legal partner, C.J.Stryver. It is the inherently ethical Carton, non the aristocratic (and bellico se) Stryver who realizes that marriage to Charles Darnay would bring the greatest happiness to Lucie. Their bliss is all of a sudden lived however,as the honor bound Darnay returns to Paris.   His prosecution is propelled by a vengeful and fresh empowered Madame Defarge a patriot of the revolution who utilizes the revolutionary Peoples Tribunals to redress grievances attached by the Evremonde clan. Aided by her cohort (aptly given the code number of Vengeance) retribution, not justice, is her sole concern. ...I have this race a capacious time on my register, doomed to destruction and extermination.(370).   This savage character - Madames steadfast right hand was occupied with an axe,...and in her girdle were a handgun and a cruel knife(244) - exhibits an anger so resolute and tempestuous that its like may be comparable only to newly split female students here at N.Y.U. - but that is simply my experience.   Dickens does not portray Madame Defarge and her compatrio ts as morally bankrupt but rather depicts their inevitable creation in the oppressive aristocratic class structure of 18th century Europe. A Tale Of Two Cities is written in a perfectly linear progression of this theme. It initially portrays the oppressive nature of the aristocracy (the imprisonment of Dr. Manette, the accidental death of a child and the trite response of the Marquis - among other graphic illustration) which leads to the fervor of revolutionary assassins seeking justice.