Tale Of Two Cities Literary Analysis Essay

Throughout the passage (pages 79, 80, 82), in A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens introduces Monseigneur and describes the current state of France through literary devices. During this section of the chapter, Monseigneur, a powerful French lord is characterized in several different forms as well as the unstable society in France. Dickens does this by utilizing literary devices such as tone, foreshadowing, irony and symbolism to fully portray current affairs in Paris at the time. The chapter begins with Monseigneur drinking a cup of hot chocolate (page 79). During this time, hot chocolate was a rare commodity owned solely by the rich and while this activity may seem mundane, Dickens includes this description with intentions to get a point across. Here, the hot chocolate serves as a symbol for the shared notion of “self-indulgence” among the wealthy who could care less about the the current state of France, but instead, only take into account their own needs. Individuals such as Monseigneur, are out of touch with the realities of the world outside of their social circle, specifically, the

He does this when he explains the extravagant clothing that people are wearing to the ball. This is ironic because he mentions the elegant clothing that people wear and fancy balls that people attend but soon the French Revolution would break out and this would not be a pressing concern any more. Dickens explains, “Dress was the one unfailing talisman and charm used for keeping all things in their places.” (page 82) This statement turns out to be ironic due to the fact that one’s clothing would soon no longer bring anyone comfort. This scene also serves as an example of foreshadowing. By understating the state of France right now and describing the peace before the storm, the audience is setup to be able to feel the dramatic differences the peaceful times now and the conflict that was bound to