I Laughed, I Cried...

...OK, so I didn't really laugh, but "I Cried" is not exactly a great title for an epinion.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” begins Dickens’ chilling story of the French Revolution. In the first chapter of the book, Dickens outlines the setting of his story, comparing and contrasting London with Paris, the two cities of his tale. England was about to experience the revolution of her colonies in the Americas; France was about to experience the revolution of her own inhabitants. The citizens of both were heavily taxed and impoverished while their aristocracies were living in splendor from the gains.

Dickens’ use of metaphors in A Tale of Two Cities left me breathless and painted a vivid picture of rage in the common class of French before and during the revolution. Dickens spins a graphic, grotesque subject matter into something artistic and readable even for an easily nauseated bibliophile like myself.

His perverted, but clever humor said of La Guillotine “…it was the best cure for headache, it infallibly prevented the hair from turning grey, it imparted a peculiar delicacy to the complexion, it was the National Razor which shaved close: who kissed La Guillotine, looked through the little window and sneezed into the sack.”

The story line follows the Manette family and their loved ones, as well as Monsieur Defarge (Dr. Manette’s former protégé) and his wife, plotting revolutionaries, through the period of the Revolution.

Dr. Alexandre Manette is a former Bastille prisoner of 18 years, almost constantly struggling for sanity after being “recalled to life.” His devoted daughter Lucie is a selfless and charming young lady who dedicates her life to her father. Charles Darnay is Lucie’s eventual husband and, unbeknownst to the Manette family, is of aristocratic blood. The three French citizens move to England in search of a better life.

Sydney Carton, a highly intelligent wretch of an Englishman who feels that is life is wasted, is drawn to the Manette family, though he never says much in their presence. His stony heart is touched by Lucie’s compassionate, beautiful spirit and he promises her that he will always be at the service of her family. Sydney bears an uncanny resemblance to Charles, which has already saved Charles in a trial that would have spelled his quartering.

A few years after Lucie gives birth to the couple’s two children, Charles receives a letter from an old servant who has been falsely accused. His compassion takes him back to Paris in secret, hoping to save his friend and knowing that his wife would never allow him to undertake the journey.

Upon arrival in France, Charles finds the Revolution well underway, is escorted to the prison of La Force and incarcerated for his aristocratic blood. Dr. Manette hears of the crisis and brings the entire family to Paris in the hopes of saving his son-in-law. The doctor gains immediate respect, being a former Bastille prisoner and uses his influence at Charles’ trial to get him acquitted.

Madame Defarge, who has been knitting the names of aristocrats doomed to the guillotine throughout the entire book, has specific and surprising motives for wanting Charles to fall victim to the blade. This subplot of the story is not revealed until the near closing of the story and “knits” all the loose ends of the book into one coherent, interlocking tapestry.

Within a day’s time, Charles is once again incarcerated, having been denounced by three extremely powerful (one of them shocking) revolutionary forces, and is sentenced to death the following afternoon. Dr. Manette attempts to exploit his influence once again, but his efforts are fruitless. Sydney, knowing that Charles is doomed, decides to make good on his years-old promise to Lucie and devises a plan for Charles’ rescue, which includes the sacrifice of his own life.

Dickens, a master of story telling, made me even more disgusted with the reckless, opulent manner of living embraced by the old French upper class than my history classes did. His tragic tale also explores the power of people (and especially women) who have watched their loved ones suffer poverty, illness and hunger.

The degeneration of people engrossed by vengeance in this story led to injustice and senseless death. More than anything, A Tale of Two Cities shows that there was no side in the French Revolution that was 100% correct and that both classes of people committed heinous and insensitive acts toward their own countrymen.

Note: The highest level of reading that Epinions allows for this book is "Teenager and Young Adult," but I wouldn't consider it too juvenile for adult readers.