A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities wasn’t a very capturing read for me. I was hoping to read a story with interesting observations of the times that allured to the conditions and situations that made those times. I found it perhaps a little too poignant in this aspect. Would’ve loved to see the gridlock of the Ancien Regime and modern capitalist France that has formed and evolved despite it in late 18th century. Thus set the scene for the revolution. As for London, I think it’s historical context and how it operated internally and fit the overall world-system of the time could’ve been explored better through Tellson’s Bank.
As for the story itself, first half of the book where Doctor Manette was taken to London and Charles Darnay and Lucie started their love was hard to read for me. I’m sure students and enthusiasts of English Literature will disagree with me. But it’s not an area of interest to me. So the story was hard to follow.
Second half of it where characters went to Paris in the middle of the revolution was more interesting. I think it captures two things really well. First, the capital punishment being so easy to be prescribed to anyone. Revolutionary or aristocrat, citizen or traitor, everyone got the taste of the one called La Guillotine, and for arbitrary reasons too. Second, I also think the state of agitation and hysteria must’ve been high in the general public during the revolutionary years. At least until the succession of Napoleon. This was given well too. Especially how seemingly normal people like DeFarges were transformed to blood-thirsty revolutionaries. But the socioeconomic conditions that made the revolution was in my opinion were only superficially given. They were mostly shown under the guise of poverty and social humiliation. While these can be elements that lead to social upheaval, what made French Revolution special was the fact that it was organised and funded by a specific kind of newly emerging clerical and capitalist social class. And how this class’ interests were constantly clashing with those of the Monarchy and Clergy up until the revolution.
Having said that though, I liked how Dickens created a foil for Charles Darney with Sydney Carton. And chose to sacrifice him in an act of redemption at the end. I think without Sydney Carton, it would’ve just been another historical drama.
Overall, it’s not a bad read for someone like myself. Dickens probably was not too concerned about capturing a good snapshot of the times, at least not as much as he was concerned about writing a good novel.