A Tale Of Two Cities Sacrifice Analysis

Love, Sacrifice, and Revolution During the French Revolution, the aristocracy and those suspected of helping them were slaughtered, causing people to take drastic measures to escape France and save themselves. In A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, characters take drastic measures as well, but for other characters and not themselves. Why would they risk their sanity, hearing, or lives for the happiness of someone else? Dickens shows us many times that love is what pushes people to make sacrifices. Sacrifice is caused by a character’s love for someone else, as shown by the sacrifices of Miss Pross, Doctor Manette, and Sydney Carton. During a fight with Madame Defarge, Miss Pross sacrifices her hearing because of her love for Lucie Manette.
Dr. Manette, who is kept in the Bastille for years and loses his mind because of it, has been brought back to a happy life with his daughter, Lucie. When Mr. Lorry asks Miss Pross why Dr. Manette refuses to talk about his imprisonment, she replies, “’It’s plain enough, I should think, why he might be [afraid]. Not knowing how he lost himself, or how he recovered himself, he may never feel certain of not losing himself again’” (74). Dr. Manette is so afraid of losing his mind again and becoming a different person that he refuses to talk about it. Dr. Manette also knows that Charles Darnay has something to do with his imprisonment. However, when Darnay asks if he can marry Lucie if Lucie loves him, Manette replies, “…if there were… any fancies, any reasons, any apprehensions, anything whatsoever, new or old, against the man she really loved – the direct responsibility thereof not lying on his head – they should all be obliterated for her sake. She is everything to me; more to me than suffering…” (104). Dr. Manette already knows that Darnay’s presence could start a relapse of the condition he’s so afraid of; however, he states that he would forget all of the grievances he had against someone Lucie loved, all for Lucie’s happiness. Manette is saying that losing his mind again would be worth it if it meant Lucie could be happy. Later on, Darnay does marry Lucie,
These characters risk a lot and are aware of the consequences of their actions. However, they make their sacrifices anyways. This shows the power of love in A Tale of Two Cities and in real life. When a person loves someone else, they can do courageous and selfless things they would otherwise never have the bravery to