Major Themes of the Novel "A Tale of Two Cities"

A TALE OF TWO CITIES is rich in meaning and significance because it deals with several
themes all of which have been skillfully coordinated and integrated with another. Some of these
themes are obvious and others are less obvious and need careful examination. Dickens shows
grand objectivity of historical events, but also shows personal projection in the novel. However, A
TALE OF TWO CITIES is a highly impersonal work with multiplicity of themes. Resurrection is
indeed the central theme of A TALE OF TWO CITIES. Resurrection here takes a variety of forms,
and almost at every stage, we witness some manifestation of it. Resurrection has, of course, a
religious connotation and generally calls up the image of Jesus Christ rising from his grave on
the third day of his Crucifixion. But here resurrection requires a secular meaning. In addition to its
religious meaning. Related to this is the theme of renunciation. Dickens makes use these twin
themes in a very elaborate manner. Dickens derived both of these themes from Wilkie Collins
play, The Frozen Deep in the performances of which Dickens himself had taken part as an actor.
The resurrection of Dr Manette: First Resurrection: The theme of resurrection is introduced at
the very beginning when Mr. Lorry, who is traveling by the mail-coach top Dover, sends a
message to Tellisons Bank through the messenger, Jerry Cruncher. The words of Mr. Lorrys
message are Recalled to Life. (Give summary of Dr. Manettes story) Mr. Lorry begins to feel
drowsy and it seems to him that he is going to Paris in order to dig out a dead man from the grave
where he had been long buried. When Lorry meets Dr. Manette, it is truly a resurrection or rebirth
after death for Dr. Manette. Second Resurrection: Normal life and living with his daughter,
starting his medical practice and his giving up the habit of shoe-making and the return of sanity is
his second resurrection.
Charles Darnays Resurrection: Give Darnays account of Old Bailey where Dr. Manette, Lucie
and Carton are present and Darnay is resurrected because of Sydney Carton from a serious
crime of treason against England. Darnays second resurrection: When he is caught in Paris and
is prisoned for fifteen months at La Force and is resurrected by the influence of Dr. Manette. (Give
account of case and the prevailing condition of Paris after the revolution). Darnays third
resurrection: which is the most important. Dr. Manettes written paper discovered from his cell is
read out in the court and Darnay is sentenced to death, but his death is replaced by Sydney
Carton, a kind fellow. (Give an account his story at the prison). This is his third resurrection. This
time he has almost been taken out of his grave.http://www.allonlinefree.com/
The Resurrection of Carton: Though Carton dies, but he achieves a resurrection in two senses:
Firstly, his death constitutes a spiritual resurrection for him. By this sacrificial death, Carton who
has been leading a life of profligacy, is morally regenerated. This moral regeneration or
redemption is a kind of resurrection for him. Secondly, when Carton conceives his bold plan to
save Darnays life, the words of the Christian Burial Service are echo in his ears, I am the
Resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he
live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Carton had heard these words at
the time of his fathers funeral, and these words now come to him as a promise that the man who
believes in Lord Jesus Christ never dies. These words echo in his ears when he is actually going
to be executed. Thus, Carton dies, feeling sure that he will find himself alive in another world.
Carton dies with the certainty of resurrection.
The Grotesque resurrection of Cly: There are comic and serious resurrections. Resurrection in
this novel assumes some comic and grotesque forms also. Roger Cly, a spy, is believed to have
died and been buried in the graveyard of Saint Pancrass Church, but later we find him alive in
Paris at his old occupation of spying. So a man who was thought to be dead, came to life is also
a kind of comic resurrection. His normal funeral ceremonies were performed and he was buried
to avoid the wrath of certain person who had become hostile to him in London.
The comic resurrection of Solomon (Barsad): Another comic example of resurrection is
Barsad Miss Pross brother whom she had almost given up as dead, but he appears in Paris.
Miss Pross unexpectedly sees him and is astonished, though he feels greatly embarrassed to be
recognized by her.
Jerry Cruncher A Resurrection Man: Another example of the grotesque type of resurrection

is to be found in the nefarious business which Jerry Cruncher is pursuing in order to supplement
his income. He and his associates dig out newly-buried coffins from their graves and take out the
dead bodies in order to sell them to a surgeon for medical purposes. Young Jerry has espied his
father at this kind of work and he too aspires to become A resurrection man.
Resurrection in the sense of Political and Social regeneration: Finally, resurrection, for the
purpose of this novel, may also be taken to mean political and social regeneration. The French
People having been oppressed and exploited for centuries have been clamoring for a new
political and social order without any success. Ultimately they rise in revolt against the
established authority and try to being about sweeping reforms. Of course, their action involves
unheard-of-criminal acts. The moral of the French Revolution, according to Dickens is that the
upper classes everywhere should take a warning from what happened in France and should
mend their ways in order to see that the poor are contented and happy.
Renunciation as a theme: The other theme, less prominent but more valuable, is renunciation. It
is through a renunciation of his claim to the family estate and the family title that Charles Darnay
attains a heroic stature in our eyes. When Charles Darnay was still a child, his mother had
imposed a duty on him and he had bravely promised to keep faith with her. On growing up, he
decides to give up his claim to the family inheritance because he realizes that the family to which
he belongs had done many wrongs to the poor people. To him the family inheritance signifies, a
crumbling tower of waste. This act of his shows his generous heart, a spirit of self-sacrifice
indicative of his humanitarian instincts.
Social injustice, violence, bloodshed and imprisonment as themes of the novel: Among the
various themes of this novel is the social injustice. This theme is related of course, to the French
Revolution which was largely a result of those oppressive classes. The first glimpse of social
injustice is given in the chapter called the Wine-Shop. When the wine from the broken cask is
spilled on the ground symbolize bloodshed in the streets of Paris and the hunger and poverty of
the people who rush to drink it. The incident of the child being run over by Marquiss carriage. He
scolds the people for not caring about their children and spins a coin for the bereaved father as if
for the compensation of the death of the child. The most shocking example of social injustice is
the prolonged imprisonment of Dr. Manette has recorded the circumstances under which he was
made a prisoner is hair-raising. A TALE OF TWO CITIES is deeply colored by Dickens early
experiences in life and by what was happening to his emotional life when he started writing this
novel. Early in his life, he had been a miserable witness to the imprisonment of his father which
had left an unforgettable impression upon his mind. Prison and Imprisonment are two themes
always present in various novels of Charles Dickens. Almost every body in A TALE OF TWO
CITIES is in prison.
Doubling as a theme: The two lovers of Lucie seem to symbolize the duality in Dickenss own
heart. Darnay and Carton who physically resemble each other were self-projections by Dickens.
These two men represent the two different sides of Dickenss literary personality. Darnay
represents the light, sunny and optimistic aspect of Dickens personality who goes to France to
help Gabelle without releasing the dangers he will face there. And Carton, on the other hand,
represents the dark aspect of Dickens who loves Lucie but denies her by describing her as a
golden-haired doll and he fails to claim her. Dickens own optimistic mood is reflected in the
novel. Doubling is also a theme in the sense that every thing in the novel is double. Double
appearances, madness and sanity recurrences, the double arrest of Darnay, his double
resurrection and Darnays and Cartons love for Lucie is also a triangle. Doubling is a technique
of symbolism in the fantasizing of reality, reappears throughout the book. The most obvious
example is physical resemblance of Darnay and Carton. These two personalities represent two
different worlds the social and collective on the one hand and the individual and subjective on
the other. Madame Defarge is an instructive example of Dickens attempt throughout this novel to
identity fantasy with reality, as in his own life. This is Dickens most personal novel in one way
and the most impersonal in the other. http://www.allonlinefree.com/