Redemption In A Tale Of Two Cities

Love and Sacrifice: Leading to Redemption in A Tale of Two Cities

An author writes from personal experience, and their touch taints all the words on the page. Their carefully crafted lines suggest their upbringing and social viewpoint. Charles Dickens’s biased look on society results from his past, and shines through in his writing. His lower-class upbringing in nineteenth century England during the Industrial Revolution caused him to respect those who work up the social ladder, although he did not have the “near omniscience about human character” (The Dark Side of Dickens) of other authors. As Dickens wrote to please his undereducated audience, he is known for the world 's best-known fictional characters. In Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities,

Prior to his redemption, Sydney Carton was an alcoholic who would mourn over his meaningless life rather than seek to change. He recognizes Darnay as a resemblance to the life he would have had, if he had put his talents to good use. By surrounding himself in an aura of self-pity, Carton makes no progress towards improving himself. Only his love for Lucie drives the inspiration for him to change because “for [Lucie], and for any dear to [her], [Carton] would do anything” (152). He wishes for a career that has “any opportunity or capacity of sacrifice in it” (152) to win her love for him. Lucie drives his want to be healed and rejuvenated, allowing him to step out of his place of a social outsider. In his forlorn conversation with Lucie, Carton expresses he would do anything to keep Lucie and those close to her happy. The efforts he makes to save Darnay by sacrificing himself prove to resurrect him in a Christ-like manner. Through an altruistic sacrifice of himself, Carton keeps the Manette family intact by saving Darnay. He leads France to a rebirth after the revolution when he sees “a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss” (372) of the revolution. Like Christ, Carton sacrifices himself for the good of other men, which in return is redeeming for himself because he is sacrificing himself for Lucie’s happiness. The revolution is overcome by the death of Sydney Carton, and France’s mistakes transcend with his “sublime and prophetic” (371) expression that bore the most peaceful face of all those murdered. Carton is unafraid of death as he switches places with Darnay, even when he stands in line awaiting his death. As his life is taken by the Guillotine, he feels that the single action of this sacrifice will account for being more worthy