Two CitiesJarvis Lorry, an employee of Tellson’s Bank, was sent to find Dr. Manette, an unjustlyimprisoned physician, in Paris and bring him back to England. Lucie, Manette’s daughterwho thought that he was dead, accompanied Mr. Lorry. Upon arriving at Defarge’s wineshop in Paris, they found Mr.
Manette in a dreadful state and took him back to Londonwith them. Mr. Manette could not rember why he had been imprisoned, or when he was imprisoned. He was in a state of Post Tramatic Stress Dis-order. All the years of imporisonment led to his insanity, his life was in danger almost every second of his imprisoned life. In 1780, five years later, Lucie, Mr.
Lorry and Dr. Manette were called totestify against Charles Darnay, a tutor who made constant trips between France andEngland and was thus accused of treason. During these times both governments were very paranoid about anybody who had the aperence of commiting treason. Darney, since he travled back and forth between countries was a perfect suspect for treason. The French Government had just been overthrown by the beggars, and middle class and now run by them, the British on the other hand was still a monarchy and had awful factories and many slums, like France did. Darnay was acquitted when a lawyer, Carton,looked much like him and an eye witness faltered to positively distinguish between them.
Carton loved Lucie but he was a drunk. Knowing that their relationship was hopeless,he stated that he would sacrifice himself for her or anyone she loved in an emotionalconversation. Darnay ended up marrying Lucie. Darnay’s uncle, the Marquiuis St. Evremonde, was assassinated by the father of a child he ran over and Darnay inheritedhis Chateau. Darnay would not take it because he did not want to exploit the Frenchpeople as his uncle did.
In 1792, while the French Revolution was in full swing, Darnaydecided to go to France to save a family servant, Gabelle. Upon his arrival, he wasimmediately jailed. Lucie and Dr. Manette soon showed up in Paris at the doorstep ofTellson’s French office, where Lorry already was present.
Dr. Manette managed to getDarnay released after a year, yet he was re-jailed the same day by Madame Defarge becausehis family, the Evremondes, had previously killed off her family. Darnay was tried thenext day and sentenced to death. Manette went back into his demented state with hopelessness. Carton arrived in Paris and heard a plot by Defarge to also kill Lucie and Dr.
Manette. Quickly, he made his way into the prison with the help of spies and, with his closeresemblance, switched places with Darnay. Carton had arranged for the escape of Lucie,Darnay, and Dr. Manette. Madame Defarge had been killed by Miss Pross, a sort of stereotypenanny to Lucie, and escaped with Lucie.
Carton sacrificed his life for Lucie, her father,and Darnay at the guillotine and thus died in triumph. Dickens attempted to show his readers the power and dangers of a revolution. Hehad a clear underlying theme that oppression and exploitation by an aristocracy will causea revolt by those being exploited, a fact that made the French Revolution inevitable. Throughout this book, it was visible that Dickens drew a connection between oppression andanarchy. Yet the power of love and sacrifice were, in the end, linked with a resurrectionof society. Dickens purpose in writing this work was clearly and thoroughly carried out.
Theharsh treatment of the aristocracy towards the poor was constantly shown. In one case, theMarquis St. Evremonde ran over a peasant child and merely through a few coins at the fatherto compensate for this loss. The anarchy of the revolution was shown by the numerous mobsthat roamed the streets of Paris. Many nobles had left France and there was no powerfulgovernment.
Thus a direct connection was drawn between the oppression by the aristocracyand the outbreak of revolution turning quickly into anarchy. Dickens was biased with a sympathy for the victimized, especially for children. The idea that the victimized, when extorted for long enough, would revolt was a centralidea behind this novel. The unjust imprisonment of Dr.
Manette tore him apart. He couldnever truly escape from his prison experience and in moments of great stress reverted to theinsanity which Mr. Lorry and Lucie had found upon
