Charles Dickens uses the motif of doubles throughout his novel, A Tale of Two Cities. In fact, Dickens´ very first line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” (Dickens, 3) illustrates this motif. The entire first paragraph introduces the motif of doubles, which sets the precedent for the entire novel. The first paragraph is contrasting the good and the bad in all circumstances to come in the future of the novel. Another example of the usage of doubles are the two kings, both with large jaws, and two queens, one “with a plain face” from England and another “with a fair face” (Dickens 3) from France. The large jaw of the Kings signifies that they talked a lot about change but they didn’t implement the change they wanted to bring about. The queens differ in that one is fair and beautiful while the other is plain and homely. This quote lays out the role of the two differing countries that will play an important role in the novel. Book the First talks about how the two countries handle political situations differently. The third and strongest example of doubles that Dickens uses is about the duality of people. Early in the book, Mr. Lorry “ A wonderful fat to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other” (Dickens 12). Book the First tells the story of Mr. Lorry and that people can seem good in the light of the day but at night you do not know who they really are; they could be a robber. In the situation of Mr. Lorry, he is afraid that the others in the coach aren’t really who they appear to be. This is a issue that most of their population deals with. There is constantly question someone’s real identity, if they are a good person, or tricking you to be a robber. The motif of doubles not only provides opposition, but parallel structure as well. Doubles play an important role in Dickens well-known classic A Tale of Two Cities.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
In the novel, A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens opens with an anaphora, about how the world is throughout the novel. A reoccurring theme throughout this story is the battle between good and evil. Most of the novel is about the struggles each force has and how most of the time good triumphs over evil. In A Tale of Two Cities, the triumph of love, the death of the Marquis, and the contrast between Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay shows how good triumphed over evil.…
- 718 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The passage I have chosen is from Chapter 5, book 1, which takes place at a wine shop. Dickens is using this passage to explain the recent event that has taken place; crowds of people gather in front of the wine shop, and actually scoop up the wine for themselves from the broken cask. That shows the readers that these peasants are in physical hunger and are that desperate for food, showing that France isn’t in good shape. Once all the wine is gone all that is left over is the stains of the red wine on the street, the peoples hands, faces and feet. Dickens is foreshadowing the blood that will be left there in later years during the revolution. Like I stated before Dickens is showing the peasants hunger, but I think he is showing the physical hunger and the hunger the peasants have for justice and that they want freedom from the misery they’re in, therefore I feel he is also foreshadowing that the peasants are going to revolt and that they’re will be some kind of revolution. When Dickens says “the wine was red wine”, it is symbolic in a way of showing the sense of revolution, because the peasants dressed themselves in the color red while revolting, but also the fact that red is symbolic by symbolizing the blood of all the peasants and people of France that will die in the fight for what they believe in. I also believe when Dickens closes this passage with the words wine-lees blood he is trying to say that although at that moment its just wine, eventually lives are taken and it turns into real blood, and that the blood will stain the streets of France, leaving a reminder of this terrible…
- 307 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Charles Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities, showing the French Revolution and everyone’s reactions towards it. He showed the controversy between the French Peasantry and the French aristocracy. He…
- 570 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
It also represented the deep dark secrets that some may never know about. Dickens was able to clearly show the reign of terror in London, Paris (hence a tale of two cities) and in the French country side leading up to the outbreak of the French…
- 449 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
2) Imagery is used in many different ways. In A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens uses imagery to foreshadow, to characterize, and to create atmosphere. Dickens uses imagery to foreshadow what is going to happen later on in the book. For example, when the large cask in front of the wine shop breaks it stains the streets red. It foreshadows the uprising of the French Revolution, and where the planning is going to take place. It also foreshadows what is going to happen during the revolution, but instead of wine it will be blood that is staining the roads. Another example of foreshadowing is when Dickens describes the Farmer and the Woodsman as being workers of Death, working silently and unceasingly. This foreshadows how the French Revolution is going to start; silently, without any suspicion from the aristocrats. It is going to start with a bang that no one knew was coming. Lastly, the use of the echoing footsteps is a way of foreshadowing. It shows that whatever happened before is going to repeat itself later on. It also shows that some footsteps taken by the characters will disappear and they will gain a new goal or identity in life. Imagery is used to foreshadow what is to take place later on in the book.…
- 397 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Dickens' places a heavy load on opposite forces in A Tale of Two Cities. Such antitheses occur between polar characters and contrary settings, and they enhance the meaning of certain aspects of the novel to a great extent.…
- 395 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
A Tale of Two Cities is a novel which takes place during the French Revolution. In this novel there are many characters who often have conflicts in their interactions. Sometimes these conflicts take place on a personal level and at other times they occur on a social level. There are many examples of revenge in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.…
- 615 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times […] we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going directly the other way" (Dickens 7). Charles Dickens "[influenced] the development of the serial novel" and created many classics (Pool 389). Only Shakespeare used the same writing techniques as Dickens (Engel). The novel "A Tale of Two Cities" is a grand example of character foils and doubling within one of Dickens ' novels. The use of England, France, and the characters makes the novel better because they add to the intensity of the plot "between the two eternally paradoxical poles of life and death" (Charles Dickens 421).…
- 1253 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
One example of juxtaposition is in the beginning of the book where Charles Dickens says “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” (8). This an example represents juxtaposition because it is showing two words together and letting the reader compare them. The example is also highlighting the differences in the French and English society. It’s helping the readers understand and imagine how things were even before the revolution and why it needed to come. Another example of juxtaposition is in chapter 5 when the wine spilled in the middle of the street in Saint Antoine. When the wine casket had fell in the street it showed desperate citizens all together stop whatever they were doing and go for the wine. Dickens compares the different…
- 330 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
In the 16th century Charles Dickens wrote the unforgettable novel A Tale of Two Cities. In it he created two of the most remarkable fictional characters of all time. One is the bloodthirsty Madame Defarge, and the other is the selfless Sydney Carton. Madame Defarge is a peasant who seeks revenge on all aristocrats who cross her path. In contrast, Sydney Carton is a man who is willing to do anything for the love of his life. While the actions of these two characters clearly delineate their differences, the underlying forces that drive each character are quite similar.…
- 945 Words
- 4 Pages
Better Essays -
In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens’s descriptions and mentions of fountains demonstrate the increasing animosity of the rich by the poor, thereby foreshadowing revolution.…
- 466 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
“The poor are poor because the rich are rich” -Anonymous. In the novel A Tale of Two Cities written by Charles Dickens, he exploits a hard time in the 1700s where the rich are rich because they exploit the poor. This raises a question to the audience, What action can be taken place to create an equal society? Dickens answers this question by placing this story in the middle of the French Revolution where people are are arrested because of their social class, presumed guilty without trial, then killed without reason. All making the readers question what can be done to make a difference.…
- 552 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Throughout the novel A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens constantly uses examples of violence and cruelty to show why the French peasants revolted against the aristocracy and to describe the revolt. During the extant of the peasant’s lives before the rebellion they were treated so brutally by the aristocrats. The wealthy people took great advantage of their power and the poor people. When the peasants rebelled they responded with violence and brutality from the hatred of their hearts.…
- 1099 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Friedrich Nietzsche once said, "that which does not kill us makes us stronger." No matter how much one tends to suffer, the experiences can make the person overcome their suffering and become stronger. By looking at A Tale of Two Cities written by Charles Dickens, the truth behind this quotation will be clear, the way Dr. Manette overcomes his past suffering will prove how things that don't kill us makes us stronger.…
- 504 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
4) Dickens’ Style (use of detail, repetition, parallelism, theatrical elements, imagery, form and style) (pp. 41-43)…
- 17331 Words
- 70 Pages
Powerful Essays