The Glory of Humanity

A Tale of Two Cities is one of Dickens' most important masterpieces. The motive of A Tale of Two Cities is to draw on the past to satirize the present, to use the historical experience of the French Revolution as a reference, and to sound a warning to the British ruling class; at the same time, through the extreme depiction of the horrors of the revolution, it also warns the people who are resentful and want to confront tyranny with violence, and fantasizes about finding a way out of the deepening social conflicts in England. From this purpose, the novel profoundly exposes the deeply intensified social contradictions before the French Revolution, strongly criticizes the despicable and brutal aristocracy, and deeply sympathizes with the sufferings of the lower class. The work pointed out sharply that there was a limit to the people's patience, and that under the brutal rule of the aristocracy, the people were forced to resist in order to make a living. This resistance is just. The novel also depicts spectacular scenes such as the attack on the Bastille by the insurgent people, showing the great power of the people. However, the author stands on bourgeois humanism, that is, he opposes the tyranny of the brutally oppressed people and the violence of the revolutionary people against tyranny. In Dickens' writing, the whole revolution is depicted as a great catastrophe that destroys everything, which mercilessly punishes the criminal aristocracy and also blindly kills the innocent people. 　　Three types of characters are portrayed in this novel. One is the feudal aristocracy, represented by the Marquis de l'Offremont, whose "only unshakeable philosophy is to oppress people", and who are the target of the author's scorn. The other category is the revolutionary masses, such as the Devashees. It must be noted that their image is distorted. The author deeply sympathizes with her tragedy and appreciates her strong character, excellent intelligence and extraordinary organizational leadership ability before and after the revolution. Especially when she goes to the doctor's residence to search for Lucy and little Lucy, she is shown as a bloodthirsty maniac. In the end, the author lets her die at the point of her own gun, a clear sign of denial. The third category is idealized characters, role models in the author's mind who solve social conflicts with humanitarianism and overcome hatred with fraternity, including the Menet father and daughter, Dairna, Laure and Calden. Dr. Menet, whose family was ruined by the Marquis brothers, harbors a deep hatred for them, but for the sake of his daughter's love, he can abandon his old hatred; Dairner, the son and nephew of the Marquis brothers, comes to his senses, denounces his family's sins, abandons his title and property, and resolves to "atone" for his sins by his own actions. This pair of characters reflect each other, one is a victim of aristocratic tyranny, forgiving; the other is the heir of a noble marquis, advocating benevolence. Between them, there is even Lucy, as daughter and wife. Under the bond of love, they form a happy family with mutual understanding and affection. This is obviously an impractical way out of social conflicts that the author envisages as diametrically opposed to violent revolution. 　　A Tale of Two Cities differs from ordinary historical novels in that its characters and main plot are fictional. Against the broad background of the French Revolution, the author uses the experience of the fictional character Dr. Menet as the main clue to intertwine three separate but interrelated stories of injustice, love and revenge, with an intricate and complicated plot. The author's use of flashbacks, interpolations, ambiguities, and padding makes the novel complete and tightly structured, and the plot twisted and tense and dramatic, showing excellent artistic skills. The style of A Tale of Two Cities is solemn, somber and full of anger, but it lacks the humor of the earlier works. A Tale of Two Cities has been hailed as the most outstanding masterpiece depicting the French Revolution, and I think the greatest reason for this may be its distinctiveness. Unlike other works, such as Carlyle's The French Revolution, Dickens focuses more on the joys and sorrows of the people at the bottom. Although in that era, these small people themselves could not attract the world's attention. But the author keenly captured that these small people were inextricably linked to the Revolution, and it can be said that the French Revolution itself was triggered by the power of the small people. 　　In this work, I saw many different people. The upright and kind but tragically persecuted Dr. Manette, the beautiful and gentle Lucy, the elegant and noble Charles, the loyal and honest Lowry, the outwardly indifferent, inwardly passionate, debauched and selflessly noble Sidney, the distorted human nature of Mrs. DeFarge, the brash and loyal Miss Prosser, the cruel and sinister Ephremont brothers ...... the complex Hate entangled, cruel revenge created more hate, love regenerated on the edge of hell, but at the cost of life. This intricate scene comes to life, as if to recreate the era of losing one's sanity. 　As an excellent writer, in Dickens' works, the splendor of language is essential. Various rhetorical techniques, metaphor, exaggeration, contrast, humor and mockery, are used with ease, and the artistry of the work is sent to its peak. "So Mr. Cruncher had only to listen again to how Mr. Attorney General took off another piece of the straitjacket that Mr. Steve had put on the gentlemen of the jury and turned it over; ...... and finally His Honor stood up and pounded the straitjacket inside and out, and it was evident that he wanted to cut the life jacket. ......" and such wonderful passages abound in the work. So, every center that the author wanted to express was reflected to the fullest. I am sure this will be of great help to our study in general. 　　Some people say that "A Tale of Two Cities" is a story about two men and one woman, but I think that those who say so must not have understood the author's real intention. If this is all that is expressed, any work can reach the level of Lucy and Charles, so how can the strength of "A Tale of Two Cities" be reflected? It seems to me that the hatred between the De Fage family and the French aristocracy, or the emotional problems of Lucy, Charles and Sidney, are all set to reflect a common theme. This theme is to analyze the relationship between the Revolution and the people, to see what triggered the Revolution and what the bloodshed brought to the people. I think this is what the author wants to express.