This essay is a comparative study of the two popular novels “Shayaa Min El-Khoof” (A Little Bit of Fear), an Egyptian novel written by Tharwat Abaza in 1969, and “A Tale of Two Cities”, an English novel written in 1859 by Charles Dickens. These two novels, though they are dealing with two different cultures and are written in different periods of time are similar and powerful literary means to focus on the theme of suffering and struggle of mankind.
The chief objective of this study is to prove that literature is a mighty medium to voice people’s ambition for freedom and change. It shows how human values, like love and forgiveness emerge as divine power and function as panacea in hard times to calm the fever of social disease.
Charles Dickens “A Tale of Two Cities” starts in 1775 when Dr. Manette, imprisoned unjustly 18 years ago, has been released from the Bastille prison in Paris. His daughter, Lucie, who had thought he was dead, brings him to England. 5 years later, a Frenchman called Charles Darnay accused of passing English secrets to the French and Americans during the American Revolution. However, He is released when eyewitnesses cannot identify him because of Darnay's resemblance to his lawyer Sydney Carton. After that Darnay and Carton fall in love with Lucie Manette. Carton tells Lucie that would make any sacrifice for her. But Lucie marries Darnay and they have a daughter. Meanwhile, in France, Darnay's uncle the Marquis St. Evremonde is murdered in his bed for crimes committed against the people. Darnay told Dr. Manette about his relationship to the Marquis, but no one else.
After a few years The French Revolution breaks out and Darnay receives a letter from a friend wrongfully imprisoned in Paris and asked the Marquis (Darnay) for help. Knowing that the trip will be dangerous, Charles feels