Use Of Irony In A Tale Of Two Cities

Irony is very apparent in the novel and a great deal if not all of the characters and plot were touched by irony. It was quite ironic that Dr. Manette, who longs for revenge against the Evremonde family, should find himself the father-in-law to the heir. It is even more ironic that Manette’s love for Lucie and Darnay puts an end to his vengeful feelings and brings him back to his normal state. Also, the fact that Dr. Manette adores Darnay, yet ends up condemning his son-in-law by writing a letter attacking the Evremonde family. Darnay’s dislike and disapproval of Carton are quite ironic, considering Carton gives his life for Darnay. Another ironic aspect of A Tale of Two Cities occurs when the evil and cruel Madame Defarge turns out to be the missing sister Charles Darnay had been searching for her. The novel, A Tale of Two Cities is filled with ironic moments and character decisions. Through the

Symbolism “implies the use of an object, an idea, or a person in a larger or wider deeper sense than is literary conveyed by that object” (Word reference) “It`s clear of course, that the special nature of Dickens`s art lies in his extraordinary command of language.” (Reynolds 55) by portraying the broken wine cask outside Defarge’s wine shop, Dickens uses the spilled wine as a symbol for the coming bloodshed; “the wine was red wine, and had stained the ground of the narrow street in the suburb of Saint Antoine” and the passing peasants’ crowd to lick the spilling wine. The spilled wine represents the blood that will be spilled in the streets. The wine also covers the people symbolizing the further pain that the people will suffer in their own revolution, which will fail at the end because the peasants cannot control their own.