Allusions In A Tale Of Two Cities

“I put a New Testament among your books...because it is the best book that ever was or will be known in the world.… ” In the opinion of Charles Dickens, a prolific Victorian writer and Christian in the broadest sense, the Bible was an important work of literature for its enduring message of love, faith, and goodwill. Although Dickens was quick to satirize pious Evangelicals and the empty rituals of the Church through his writings, he maintained a reverence for the Holy Book in his personal life. Therefore, prominent Christian allusions in A Tale of Two Cities, such as the comparison of Sydney Carton to Christ, the theme of resurrection, and the characterization of Lucie as a symbol of light, serve as more than a passing reference, but rather
Sydney Carton’s sacrifice is the most recognizable transformation in the novel; although his life is mostly spent in laziness and indifference, his death highlights the human capacity for evolution and “the potential to change for the better and thereby regain the capacity to protect, defend, and save fellow human beings” (Rackl 9). Likewise, the character, Doctor Manette, is transformed spiritually and emotionally. Years of imprisonment have deteriorated Manette’s psyche and soul, and left him with a “vacant gaze” and a “hollow and thin” face (Dickens 50). Only Lucie’s love can bring about the spiritual renewal of Manette: “Her name is tellingly derived from Latin lux ‘light’, and when her golden hair touches her father, he feels “warmed and lighted […] as though it were the light of Freedom shining on him” (Rackl 7). Moreover, Lucie’s cradling of Manette against her bosom supports this idea of rebirth, as this metaphor conjures up images of a baby feeding at its mother’s breast. These transformations highlight the Christian belief in the ability for improvement, forgiveness, and