A tale of Two Cities

The aim of the course work. Although the origins of the historical novel could be traced back to seventeenth century France, the genre did not begin its rise to prominence until the nineteenth century as authors began to utilize the historical novel as a way to mitigate the confusions of a world ridden by revolutions and political changes. This thesis argues that, rather than mitigating historical perplexity, Charles Dickens’ historical novel A Tale of Two Cities further exposes the contradictions of the French Revolution, creating an ambivalent depiction of the period at large and ultimately revealing that historical retrospection itself must be ambivalent. This thesis will be discussing how Dickens amplifies a sense of ambivalence about the most important historical event of his age through acts of historical retrospection. Through his repeated use of parallels of time and space, of events, and of the characterization of his characters, Dickens doubles the reader’s vision of history. In particular, I look at how through the use of metaphors, such as Dr. Manette’s letter, Dickens strengthens the ambivalence of his historical novel by using the letter as a way to mimic his own novel, creating a scenario that proves how historical recollection lies within human memory.
The practical value of the course work. This extended essay aims to analyse “A Tale of Two Cities”, written by Charles Dickens in 1859, from two different perspectives: historical novel and romantic novel. The novel is set in the period of French Revolution, and the historical setting is an important aspect of this novel. There is also a romantic relationship developing between two young people. This dual nature of the book, the fact that it encompasses love, guilt, compassion, justice, sacrifice, revenge and loyalty, and the detailed and realistic narration of the French revolution were the main reasons behind the selection of this novel. This essay compares the historical features and the romantic features of the novel. Historical novel and romantic novel types of literature was first defined, and then the novel was examined according to the definitions.