Sacrifice in the Name of Love Charles Dickens became a profound writer at a young age, and had much literary success in his life. One of Dickens’ most famous works was his powerful historical fictional novel, A Tale of Two Cities. A Tale of Two Cities is full of metaphors and themes that help the reader understand the complexity of the novel, one of those major themes is sacrifice. In Dickens’ novel, sacrifice is strongly made in the name of love. Sacrifice made in the name of love is illustrated throughout the novel by Miss Pross, Dr. Manette, and Sydney Carton. Miss Pross makes a major sacrifice in the name of love for Lucie in the novel. Miss Pross is a red haired woman that practically raises Lucie and loves and protects her as if she …show more content…
Throughout the novel, Miss Pross continues to show her love for Lucie up to the point that she is willing to give her life for her. On the night that Madame Defarge tries to catch Lucie grieving for Darnay, Miss Pross is there as Lucie’s protection. In the midst of their argument, Miss Pross is brought to an emotional state. Dickens’ explains to the reader what is behind her tears when he says, “but, her courage was of that emotional nature that it brought the irrepressible tears into her eyes. This was a courage that Madame Defarge so little comprehended as to mistake for weakness” (Dickens 286). Miss Pross is willing to give her life for Lucie in this moment, and her tears are tears of courage and love. When Madame Defarge pulls out a gun, the two women fight until the gun goes off. The reader learns Miss Pross sacrifices her hearing when Dickens states, “’If she don’t hear …show more content…
Manette sacrifices his mental health in the name of love for Lucie and her happiness. Dr. Manette is Lucie’s father and has been locked in prison for many years. He was sent to jail because of Lucie’s husband, Charles Darnay’s, family. Being in jail for a long amount of time puts him in a very bad mental state and Dr. Manette turns to shoemaking to keep him sane. Charles Darnay promises the Doctor that he will tell him about his past on his wedding morning if he marries Lucie Manette. When Darnay reveals his past, the Doctor pushes who he is aside for Lucie. Being his daughter, Dr. Manette has a lot of love for Lucie, and sacrifices his feelings for Darnay’s family so that she can be happy. The reader can understand that Dr. Manette is putting Lucie’s happiness first when he says, “’Take her, Charles! She is yours’” (149). However, when the Doctor figures out whom his daughter is about to marry, he relapses and begins to make shoes again. Dickens proves to us that the Doctor sacrifices his mental state when he says, “The secret was well kept, and Lucie was unconscious and happy; but he could not fail to observe that the shoemaker, whose hand had been a little out at first, was growing dreadfully skillful, and that he had never been so intent on his work, and that his hands had never been so nimble and expert, as in the dusk of the ninth evening” (152). This was kept a secret from Lucie so that she would not worry and so that she could be happy. Further along in the
After eighteen years of solitary confignment in the Bastille prison, Lucie’s father (Alexander Manette) has gone insane and is unaware of the life around him. With Lucie's patience and compassion Mr. Manette is restored to his old self. Now that Lucie and her father have reunited their bond cannot be broken. Lucie’s good-hearted nature is brought up once more when she shows her understanding toward Sydney Carton as he confesses his feelings about her, even though he has been nothing but a bitter, confused drunk around her. The first time Lucie met her father: "With the tears streaming down her face , she put her two hands to her lips, and kissed them to him; then clasped them on her breast, as if she laid his ruined head there" (Dickens
Throughout the novel, the power of love triumphed over evil. When Miss Pross fights Madame Defarge to protect Lucie it shows Miss Pross’s love towards Lucie. Miss Pross is like a mother to Lucie and has been taking care of her for some time. Miss Pross
The French Revolution was a movement from 1789 to 1799 that brought an end to the monarchy, including many lives. Although A Tale of Two Cities was published in 1859, it was set before and during the French Revolution and had over 200 million copies sold. The author, Charles Dickens, is known for being an excellent writer and displays several themes in his writings. Sacrifice is an offering of an animal or human life or material possession to another person. Dickens develops the theme of sacrifice throughout the story by the events that occurred involving Dr. Manette, Mr. Defarge, and Sydney Carton.
Lucy proves her love and impact on the men in her life with patience, loyalty and devotion. Although Lucie starts a marriage with Darnay, she manages to still take care of her father. In many conversations between Dr. Manette and Lucie, the doctor tells Lucie that “he found her more devoted to him married (if that could be) than single” (Dickens 219). Although marriage is a very demanding relationship, Lucie remains loyal to her
Lucie approaches, with tears in her eyes. The shoemaker asks who she is. Noticing her blonde hair, he removes a necklace he wears and reveals a scrap of paper containing some golden threads of hair—stray hairs from his wife, which he has kept all these years as a spiritual escape from his imprisonment. Overcome by emotion, Manette struggles to recognize his daughter. Lucie rocks Manette's head on her chest like a child. She promises him that his agony has ended, and gives thanks to God.
When Lucie gave birth and named their first daughter “Little Lucie”, Little Lucie become closed to Sydney Carton. Carton enjoys hanging out with the family and felt worthy around Darnay’s family. Later in the 3rd Book, once Charles is tried once more then sentenced to death, Carton remembers his promise to Lucie. He realizes that he will most likely escape with shift places with Charles and nobody can notice due to their similar look. He devises and carries out a thought to save lots of Charles. As he's progressing to the scaffold to die, he is bothered however this is often the foremost worthy issue he has ever wiped out his life (Dickens 55). He is aware of that his life currently has that means even supposing he's close to behave.
After marrying Lucie, Charles gets a letter from an old servant, saying he needs to go to Paris to help the servant out of prison. When Charles goes back he is arrested for being an aristocrat and for being an emigrant. His trial is one year and three months after he is imprisoned. Dr. Manette saves Charles Darnay during his first trial because he related to the crowd with his story of his imprisonment in the Bastille. The people took pity on Darnay and were inspired by Manette’s story and allow Charles to go free. This was the second time Charles is recalled. Charles is condemned again by three people who are later revealed as Monsieur and Madame Defarge, and Dr. Manette. He then goes back to prison to await his second trial. At this point, Sydney Carton is also in France. He knows of Charles’s danger and is planning a way to save him. Charles is waiting in his cell for his trial when Sydney comes in to talk with him. Sydney gets Charles to switch clothes with him and gives him something to sedate him. Once he is asleep and they have swapped clothes, John Barsad takes Charles out to an awaiting carriage. The next day Sydney goes to the guillotine in Charles’s place. Before he goes to die he is completely happy and content because he knows that this is what he meant when he told Lucie he loved her. “I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful,
In the melodramatic novel, A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, the author uses the theme sacrifice. He shows that sacrifice is important in his story because some of his characters must give up their lives for another. Miss Pross dedicates herself to Lucie because she wants Lucie to have a brighter future than she did. Then, out of his love and devotion for Lucie Manette, Sydney Carton sacrifices his life to save a life she loves. The sacrifices Miss Pross and Sydney Carton make express that mankind will give everything for what they love and believe in.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is a story of great sacrifices being made for the sake of principle. There are many examples of this throughout the book made by many of the characters but some or more evident than others. In Book The First, entitled “Recalled to Life,” the most obvious sacrifice for the sake of principle was made by Dr. Manette. He is imprisoned for eighteen years in the Bastille, for no apparent reason. Another noticeable sacrifice made for the sake of principle was made in Book The Second, entitled “The Golden Thread,” also by Dr. Manette. Charles Darnay reveals the truth about himself and about his family history. He tells Dr. Manette his real identity and that he is heir to the Marquis
He knows of nothing other than his prison life and frequently reverts to busily making shoes, a hobby he picked up while jailed. He is completely incapable of functioning in the outside world, having entirely forgotten what life outside of prison is like. Lucie loves him unconditionally and helps him regain his sanity. Dr. Manette recovers gradually with the help of family and friends. It is a long process, but Lucie is dedicated to her father and assists in recovering from his crazed state. As time passes, Dr. Manette becomes more mentally stable and his regressions to shoe-making become less often. By the end of the book, Dr. Manette is nearly back to normal; he is once again a fully functional person. Lucie's love and determination nurse Dr. Manette back to normality.
After Darnay is convicted, Lucie falls into a faint, and, Carton is there to assist her, coming to her aid from “the obscure corner from which he had never moved” (Dickens 260). Though Carton never received recompense, he is always prepared to assist the Manettes. When Carton returns Lucie safely to her room, her child cries out to him, “I think you will do something to help mamma, something to save papa … can you, of all the people who love her, bear to see her so?” As Carton leaves, he murmurs a few significant words under his breath: “A life you love” (Dickens 260). Finally, Carton sacrifices his own self to the Guillotine and ultimately the revolution in place of Darnay, again, out of his love and compassion for Lucie.
She connected him to the benevolent part of his Past, and now she is the only one who can guide him beyond his sufferings, eventually to a better place in the Future. In a like manner, Lucie heals Dr.Manette not only in physically or a mental way, now she indirectly helps him “recalls to life” a newfound purpose by using his miserable past to help the Evrémondes. Charles is locked up in the La Forcé by the French peasantry so, Dr.Manette protects Charles by going to the prison, interacting with the people by using his influence to tell them how Charles is innocent. Interestingly enough, the Doctor’s actions surprise
Twelve months later Dr. Manette asked for Lucie’s hand in marriage. If Lucie accepts, Darnay will give his true identity to the Manettes. Sydney is also falling in love with Lucie but he knows that she is much to good for him and she will never be his. Lucies’s beauty is so magnificent to Carton that by knowing here, she has made his life worth living. Her presence gives Sydney a reason to get up in the morning. Sydney would do any thing for her "…O Miss Manette, when the little
Sacrifice in A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens is a brilliant Victorian novelist who captures the imagination and sentiment of not only his nineteenth century readers, but also readers for centuries to come. Dickens writes many novels such as Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, and one of his most famous novels, A Tale of Two Cities. The novel takes place during the French Revolution in a time of great extremes. Dickens writes about the poor and the aristocracy, the Manettes and the Defarges, as well as love and hate. In Dickens’ novel, his characters are so deeply rooted in their passions that they will sacrifice anything for their causes.
The character Lucie Manette has grown a great deal and has been “recalled to life,” through her strength. The first couple chapters of the book Lucie faints due to the news she heard about her father. As it got to the very end Lucie was told her husband would die, and learning from her experiences she