Dickenss Views of the French Revolution Essay - 680 Words

Sow the same seed of rapacious license and oppression ever again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind. (385) This quote from Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities illustrates Dickens bias for the revolting class during the French Revolution. In the book, however, Dickens does vilify the violence that is inherent in this Revolution. He also puts his own slant on the way the Revolution occurs and who leads it. This bias could be attributed to who he was and who his audience was. Because he is an Englishman and the novel is written primarily for other Englishmen, there is a clear bias in the way he presents the classes (through a variety of characters that exemplify each Fcaste) and their actions in the novel†¦show more content†¦This could be due to the fact that he is trying to show the magnitude of the horrors committed by the ruling class over centuries of time in a book spanning less than twenty years. Another possible reason for this oversight co uld be the aforementioned biases he had being British. He likely loathed the French elite of the time period because they did the opposite of what the British had done and thus stifled their countries growth. He might also have a bias against all nobility because of his childhood as a pauper. Either way the illustration of the French nobility is not that far off from the truth. The middle class, on the other hand, is presented significantly different from that of the Revolution. The middle class during the Revolution had mainly themselves in mind and led much of the rebellion that took place. Dickens almost completely neglects the harsh rule of the middle class during the Reign of Terror, and instead places the blame on blood-thirsty mobs calling for the Guillotine. He also neglects the fact that the Revolution was largely led by the middle class. The three primary characters from the middle class, Dr. Manette, Lucie Manette, and Sydney Carton, have nearly nothing to do with the Revolution; all of which, by the end of the novel, are presented in an endearing light. Dr. Manette is a man who had everything stripped from him by the nobility, yet he never wishes to exact revenge on their cruelty untilShow MoreRelated A Tale of Four Novels1596 Words   |  7 Pagesby Dickens that outlines the events of the French Revolution through the story of a French aristoc rat named Charles Darnay. Darnay is a Parisian aristocrat that renounces his aristocracy in order to pursue a new life in London where he falls in love with a woman by the name of Lucie Manette after escaping prosecution for treason due to the help of barrister named Sydney Carton. In Paris there is an uprising among the citizens known as the French Revolution, which is caused by the bourgeoisie’s ideaRead MoreA Tale of Two Cities Speech1511 Words   |  7 PagesA Tale of Two Cities Speech The storming of the Bastille#8230;the death carts with their doomed human cargo#8230;the swift drop of the guillotine blade-this is the French revolution that Charles Dickens vividly captures in his famous work A Tale of two cities. With dramatic eloquence, he brings to life a time of terror and treason, a starving people rising in frenzy and the to overthrow a corrupt and decadent regime. With insight and compassion, he casts his novel of unforgettableRead MoreA Tale of Two Cities800 Words   |  4 Pages Charles Dickens characterizes the settings in his novel, â€Å"A Tale of Two Cities,† through indirect comparison and contrast between Paris and London during the French Revolution, a political and social upheaval from 1789–1799; â€Å"There was a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face on the throne of England; there was a king with a large jaw and a queen with a fair face on the throne of France. In both countries it was clearer than crystal to the lords of the State preserves of loaves andRead MoreThe Relationship between Oliver Twist and the Industrial Revolution1524 Words   |  7 Pageschange it for the better. Over the many years since the publishing of Charles Dickenss Oliver Twist in 1838, many have come to know it as not only art but also as an account of the social and economic problems of the industrial revolution. Along with his other works, he would eventually inspire others to put an end to child labour, one the most horrific examples of human exploitation that went on in the industrial revolution. Oliver Twist addresses three major themes of the 19th century, the failureRead MoreAnalysis Of Charles Dickens A Tale Of Two Cities986 Words   |  4 PagesWith revolution brewing in the air, various authors took writing as a way to express their opinions. One such author, Charles Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities as his way of expressing his interest and concerns. Charles Dickens, the second of eight children, was born on February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, England. His father, John Dickens worked as a naval clerk, and dreamed of striking it rich. However, in 1823, his father found himself forced into Marshalsea Debtor’s Prison, where the rest of hisRead MoreThe Images Within Us All: A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens1273 Words   |  6 PagesThe French Revolution from 1789 to 1799 was a time of uprising in France, followed by the decline of monarchies and the rise of democracy and nationalism. A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, is set in the cities of Paris and London and flawlessly captures the angst and changing times of these places during this unforgettable period. Dickens extensively researched the events that occurred to set up perfec t scenes that stick with the reader even after the novel is finished. Dickens masterfullyRead MoreUse of Repetition in A Tale of Two Cities1577 Words   |  7 Pageshis readers by his constant repetitions, and his habitual phrases are remembered by readers who are not used to reading with close attention. Dickens’s stylistic use of repetition reaches its climax in A Tale of Two Cities (1859). Therefore, it is fruitful to deal with the language of Dickens, especially that of A Tale of Two Cities, from the point of view of repetition in order to explore his linguistic artistry with which the novelist, inheriting the language of the 18th century, improved uponRead MoreA Tale Of Two Cities Or A Tale Of Two Worlds?2163 Words   |  9 PagesMs. Faris Honors English IV 29 May 2015 A Tale of Two Cities or A Tale of Two Worlds? A person’s class status in today’s world is based on what one owns and how society views an individual; nothing else really matters. Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities exemplifies the importance of social status through the way society views and treats its characters. Lucie Manette, from England, is the â€Å"golden thread† who everyone adores, especially a man named Sydney Carton, who is known as a failure whoRead MoreA Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Essay1393 Words   |  6 Pagesin England and France before and during the French Revolution. The novel starts with the well known opening, â€Å"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.† The action begins with Mr. Jarvis Lorry, and elderly manager at Tellson’s Bank, meeting a lady named Lucie Manette, and together they find Dr. Alexandre Manette, Ms. Manette’s father, who has lost his memory and spends his time making shoes. Five years later in a courtroom there is a French nobleman named Charles Darnay who has been accusedRead MoreChristianity in a Tale of Two Cities Essay1701 Words   |  7 PagesSymbol of Blood and Sacrifice Red is used throughout the novel to evoke empathy and self-sacrifice. The wine scene introduces the French peasants as pathetic scavengers that are so hungry that they subsist themselves on wine within mud puddles. The peasant scene continues, this time alluding to great sacrifice and loss for those involved in the French Revolution with The wine was red wine, and had stained the ground of the narrow street in the suburb of Saint Antoine in Paris, where it was spilled(20)