What is the significance of the title of the novel “A Tale ofTwo Cities”?
Answer:
The title, “A Tale of
Two Cities”, is symbolic and significant as the novel describes the
incidents revolving around the two cities-London and Paris-against the
background of the French Revolution. The events in the two cities are
artistically balanced by the writer. The alternate movement between the two
cities highlights the contrast between them.
Before the present title is decided upon,
Charles Dickens thought about various other titles. In the preface to “A
Tale of Two Cities”, he says that the idea of this novel came while
he was acting in Frozen Deep. Various other titles came to his mind.
He thought about, “Buried Alive”, “One of Those Days”, “The Thread of
Gold”, “The Doctor of Beauvais”, “Recalled to Life”. But finally he settled for
“A Tale of Two Cities”. “Buried Alive” would only have been Dr. Manett’s
story. “Recalled to Life” would also have been appropriate as most
of the characters, Lucie, Charles, Sydney, Jarvis Lorry, Jerry Cruncher
and Dr. Manette, are recalled to life or resurrected in some way or the other. However, the title
“A Tale of Two Cities” is even more appropriate and symbolic as it
assumes universal significance.
In fact the two cities,
London and Paris, are introduced at the beginning as if they were two
characters. London as well as Paris is being administrated badly. In
London, robberies are common, religious intolerance; superstitions, greed and
death are dominant. The priest, military officers, nobility, aristocrats are
all corrupt. Spiritually, socially and politically, there are no moral standards.
People are victims of the divine rights of the nobility and of fate. The
poor and the rich are robbing and being robbed. The hangman too is busy in
hanging people for miscellaneous deeds, ranging from murders to small thefts.
Law and order is in a sad state. Paris is not in a better state. Death
lurks in every nook and corner as the ruthless aristocrats exploit the masses.
The monarchy is equally corrupt. Economic instability is accompanied by
prejudice,
Indiscriminate (killing
and lack of trials. Corruption and injustice) reigns in churches and
courts. The aristocrats are supposed to look after the tenants but they
are blind to their needs. Hunger is written on every face and the flowing
wine is symbolic of the bloodshed of the Revolution. St. Antoine Street is a
miniature Paris where hunger and bloodshed are common features.
The lives of the characters are interwoven
by means of the two cities. Dr. Manette is imprisoned in France for
eighteen years, for championing the poor and truth. Refuge and restoration
is only possible in England. Charles Evrémonde too leaves France, the
country of his birth, for England, where he gets peace of mind.
However, England is no
refuge. Though Lucie, her father and Charles live peacefully in Soho Square,
they are compelled by fate to move to Paris, where violence engulfs them.
Neither of the two cities is peaceful heaven. The events in France engulf
the lives of the characters in England. Violence, hatred and the Revolution
spare none, not even England and overrun the life of the people in England.
The moral corruption is a little better in
England. In London, the mock funeral of Cly can be contrasted with
the genuine but violent funeral of Foulon in Paris. Paris is hub of mob
violence, murders and butchery. The old Bailey Court in London is a place
of sensational executions, whereas the courts in Paris do not give the
prisoners any opportunity to be tried. The prisoners are at the mercy of
the aristocrats. While conservative England is not heading towards any
Revolution, France is heading towards the French Revolution.
The cities can be contrasted in the other
way too. While the French characters appear to stand for hatred,
the English characters appear to stand for love. Marquis Evermonde, Madam
Defarge, Defarge stand for hatred, Dr. Manette, Lucie, Jarvis Lorry, Miss Prose
and Sydney Carton stand for love. However, love and hatred are not restrained
to any particular city. Defarge, a Frenchman, is loyal to Dr. Manette; Sydney,
an Englishman, moves pessimism to love, from England to Paris.
Sydney Carton, an
Englishman, is redeemed in Paris, where he performs the ultimate sacrifice.
Injustice and betray
, love and hatred,
honesty and unity constitute a part of both the countries. Ultimately, love
triumph through the process of redemption, irrespective of location.
London and Paris are placed side by side.
While book one moves from Paris to England, book two, continuously moves
between the two. While all the characters and both the cities merge in
book three. Dirty streets, hunger and blood differentiate Paris from the
peace and tranquility of Soho Street in book two.
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