Tale Of Two Cities Conflict Analysis

Within many historical fiction works of literature, conflict is a common theme where its general purpose is to build plot and suspense. Dickens, Charles J. A Tale of Two Cities is an excellent example of a novel in which conflicts play an important role. In this novel it is mainly the struggles between social groups (which are of massive importance) and personal lives. It especially highlights the protagonists struggles and feelings with the ongoing conflicts of both their personal lives, as well as The French Revolution; a key phase of the novel. A Tale of Two Cities demonstrates how major conflicts can cause such a major effect on not only the people involved, but the society as a whole.
A Tale of Two Cities was written within the context

Madame Defarge serves as the antagonist in A Tale of Two Cities. She says “I care nothing for this Doctor, I. He may wear his head or lose it, for any interest I have in him . . . but the Evremond people are to be exterminated” (Dickens, 372-373). She wants revenge against the Evremonde Family, specifically Marquis St Evremonde for the deaths of her nephew, sister, brother, father and brother-in-law. Marquis also happens to be Darnay’s uncle, Lucie’s uncle in-law and therefore he is related to their child as well. Madame Defarge realizes this and commences a plan to kill all of the Evremonde family. Lucie quickly realizes her plan and becomes terrified, and personally asks Madame Defarge “For my sake, then be merciful to my husband. For my child’s sake!” (Dickens, 178) because she knows that Defarge will not stop and thus she is asking herself for mercy. Madame Defarge’s sister: Defarge even interrogates Madame Defarge by asking her when will she stop all her violence. Madame, at first takes these as compliments since she now knows she is in power. However, she will not stop because that does not change the fact that Marquis killed her family members. When Monsieur Defarge asks Madame to stop, she responds saying “Tell the wind and fire to stop, not me” (Dickens, 354). This shows that Madame Defarge is abusive and cruel. Inherently, Madame will not stop because she is too shaken up by Marquis St Evremonde and how he ruined her childhood by murdering her family. In essence, she is seeking revenge through Lucie and her child since they are both French so they “belong to the aristocracy” so they “must pay” for the murders of her family members. This is Madame Defarge’s inner conflict since she is struggling to seek justice for what happened to her family members, but she is losing her sense of perspective in doing so by terrorizing innocent people (like Lucie and Darnay) in the process.