Literary Analysis

Tale of Two Cities

General

1. Trying to summarize this really elaborate book is not gonna be easy. It takes place in England and Franc (title) during the French Revolution. 

Doctor Manette is the father of Lucie Manette. The problem is the Doctor has been in a French prison (Bastille) for 18 years (that's Lucie's exact age in the book). He was unjustly put in the prison but was finally released only to be a broken man. Lucie finally meets her father and cures him (she's basically an angle). They live happily for a while in England but soon have to testify in a court. Charles Darnay is the defendant (accused of spying for the French) but with the help of Sydney Carton (looks almost identical to Charles) is set free. Lucie eventually marries Charles (can't go into detail) and Charles supports them as a tutor and live quite happily (Sydney also loves Lucie but he believes he doesn't deserve her and just couldn't make it happen). Charles is secretly a noblemen from France (part of the St. Evremonde family) and when he hears that his steward has been imprisoned he decides to go back to France and try and save him.  He gets caught naturally and gets sent to prison. Lucie and the Doctor manage to save him from being the courts wrath (the doctor being a French prisoner under the evil aristocracy makes him a hero which helped a lot). The second time Charles is sent to court (for his nobility history) there is little hope. He will be executed but at the last second Sydney comes out of no where (out of love for Lucie) and  takes Charles's place (remember they look the same). Lucie and her family escape and Sydney makes a very heroic sacrifice for his love and true purpose in his life. 

Theme

There are many themes but Ill focus on one. You need more than just the right skills to go far in life. If you you don't have confidence or boldness you can't accomplish your goals in life. Sydney learned this but it was sadly in his last days that he realized this. 

Tone

 Dickens can be very comedic in certain parts of the novel (like Miss Pross who would refer to Lucie as "Ladybird") but then get very serious (The time was to come...wine to would be spilled on the street-stones...stain of it would be red upon many there") and violent (when the revolutionaries storm the Bastille).

Literary Elements

antagonist: The main antagonist would have to be Madame Defarge. She is the main revolutionary leader and has very little compassion for anyone associated with the aristocracy.  Dickens describes her as a "tigress". 

character: Miss Pross is Lucie's devoted guardian. She'll do anything for her. Near the end of the book she (accidentally) kills Madame Defarge who was trying to come and send Lucie to be executed. 

dramatic monologue: Sydney is a very intelligent but sad man. He is one of the more developed characters because Dickens reveals a lot of his thoughts to us. When he is describing how much he loves Lucie for example but also think he is unworthy of her love.

figurative language: The first chapter of the novel has a lot of figurative language which really catches the reader's attention and if you can understand it explains a lot. "There were a king with a large jaw, and a queen with a plain face, on the throne of England; there were a kin with a large jaw, and a queen with a fair face, on a the throne of France.

flashback: In Charles's third case the prosecutor uses a letter the Doctor wrote when he was in prison 18 years ago. He remembers a what he wrote down in that cell and explains why the Evremonde family wanted him in prison.

irony: Sydney was the last person to be thought as the hero of the novel. But it was at the very end that he made the ultimate sacrifice and gave up his life.

personification: "For the Republic" was used a lot by the Revolutionaries as if the Republic was an actual person. It symbolized all the Revolutionaries united but it itself is not a human being. 

Foreshadowing: Sydneie's dedication to Lucie in these lines "I'd do anything for you or who would love you" explains his actions at the end of the novel.

Foil: Charles and Sydney are the main foils in the novel. Besides the obvious similar appearance they are both very intelligent and they both love Lucie. Their difference lies in Sydney's lack in self-confidence and consistent pursuit of self pity.  Although small difference it makes all the difference.

setting: The novel takes place in France (mostly Paris) and England. It's a time of great confusion and mass chaos. Courts can't be trusted and spies are everywhere (like the one trying to get information out of Ernest Defarge and Madame Defarge)