A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Please have out materials to take background notes.

Charles Dickens • Born in 1812 in Portsmouth, England • He had very encouraging parents who

supported his writing and acting• His father was sent to debtor’s prison

which negatively impacted his youth• At the age of 12, Dickens started working in

a rat-infested warehouse—12 hour days, six days a week—in an attempt to help his family get out of debt

• A change of fortune rescued the family, but not before the experience affected Dickens

• Before writing fiction, Dickens worked as an actor, a court reporter, and a journalist

• At 24, he published his first novel serially; many subsequent novels were published in this manner• serial publication forced Dickens to carefully

construct his stories to ensure continuity• he became an expert at weaving intricate and

suspenseful novels with humorous protagonists and horrifying villains

• serial publication heightens suspense and anticipation

• Dickens and his wife, Catherine Hogarth, traveled around the world as he performed dramatic readings from his novels and spoke on political issues (i.e. in favor of abolishing slavery)

• Travels took a toll on his health, and he soon after died of a stroke

• At the time of his death, Dickens was halfway through The Mystery of Edwin Drood• The mystery surrounding the title character’s

disappearance will never be unraveled

Historical Context 1775-1793Two Cities—London and Paris• Dickens begins TOTC in England where

crime runs rampant. Later he shows his main characters living in refuge from the turmoil of England with its disease, slums, and despair associated with its Industrial Revolution• The American Revolution is mentioned briefly (how

might the American Revolution have influence the French and English)

• France is depicted as seething with wronged, vengeful people who create the revolution• At this time, 3% of the population (clergy and

aristocracy) controlled the country with rulers Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI

French Rulers Marie Antoinette Louis XVI

• The French Revolution originates from France’s quick expansion of population, impossibly high taxes, deaf aristocracy, and monarchial rule

• In 1789, citizens in Paris stormed the Bastille (a prison) searching for weapons and freeing prisoners• Violence quickly erupted throughout France • The government was essentially overthrown

• 1792-The National Assembly (governing body made mostly of middle class representatives) assumed power and placed King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette under arrest• The assembly relieved many taxes, abolished

many special rights of nobility, adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man (sound familiar?), set up a constitution, and set up the Legislative Assembly (elected legislature)

• The slogan of the revolution was “liberty, equality, fraternity”

• Other countries were in shock and attacked France in an attempt to help Louis XVI regain control• As a result, outraged radicals forced the

Legislative Assembly to suspend the office of the king, vote itself out of existence, and call for a National Convention to create a new constitution

• The convention immediately declared France a republic and sentences King Louis to death for treason in 1793

• The Reign of Terror begins• A Revolutionary Tribunal

was established to quickly try and execute traitors

• The tribunal sent more than 40,000 people to the guillotine (most often used death device of the French Revolution; right)—many without substantial cause

La Guillotine • King Louis XVI worked to

create a humane way of killing. After many models of the guillotine, it was concluded that the angled blade was the best way to execute a person with the least amount of pain. The device was not humane unless it was sharpened fully. Often, prisoners would bribe the executioners with the clothes off their backs to ensure a sharp blade and a quick death. It is ironic that Louis XVI would die of his own creation.

A Tale of Two Cities • Much of this history is compressed in A

Tale of Two Cities as Dickens’ scenes “show instead of tell” the horror of the revolution• Mob violence initiated by oppression • Gruesome deaths• Ultimately, though, the anger and violence

takes a backseat to sacrifice and healing love

• Dickens worked to create inventive plots with developed characters…critically, he is most often compared to Shakespeare (ironically his favorite author!)

• The novel chiefly relies on foreshadowing and suspense (read the novel like a mystery). It is told by an omniscient narrator—allowing for the foreshadowing

• Dickens also leans heavily on imagery, personification, and general description with ironical and symbolic elements throughout

Major Themes (central, universal ideas in a piece of literature)• Oppression often leads to the need for

vengeance and rebellion.• People and things are not always as they

appear.• Love has a self-sacrificing, noble nature.• Love has the power to heal and redeem. • Action is often driven by a desire for the

preservation of family or community.

Major Motifs (reoccurring elements)• Duality/Doubles• Resurrection• Imprisonment • Storm • Shadow/Darkness

**These often have figurative representations! Think beyond the literal.

Portsmouth—Home of Dickens

Paris—about 150 miles south of Calais

Both Calais and Dover are mentioned in Book the First