Symbols of Fate and Coincidence

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens was published in 1859 as weekly issues. The story takes place in London and Paris during the French Revolution. The French Revolution can be described as a liberating, exhilarating, and bloodthirsty event in history. Dickens has captured these moments of the French Revolution in a very complex form using many literary elements such as symbols and metaphors to develop and enhance the story. In particular, three beautifully constructed symbols that relate to a common theme of fate and coincidence are the wine, echoing footsteps, and the shadow.

The first major symbol developed throughout the novel is the wine. The wine symbol is introduced during the wine cask scene that takes place in Saint Antoine when a large cask of wine is dropped into the street and the townspeople rush to drink it. The wine is being compared to red blood from the revolution and “the stain of it would be red upon many there” (Dickens 22), meaning that many of those people will die from the revolution. After the wine is all gone, the people return to their work as if nothing happened, which is foreshadowing of their attitude of what is to happen during the revolution. In this instance, the wine symbol shows the fate of the people and the blood and destruction of the revolution. During the revolution, the wine symbol is mentioned at the grindstone where the revolutionaries sharpen their tools and some women are drinking the wine. The droppings of the wine resemble the droppings of blood that are covering the city from the brutality of the revolution. Dickens describes the scene as “wicked atmosphere seamed gore and fire” (203) showing how the people are enjoying the revolution as gratifying and pleasurable as it is to dri...

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...the French Revolution. The wine, echoing footsteps, and shadow metaphors are very intricate with its tie to the theme of fate and coincidence, making the novel more desirable and entertaining. Each symbol portrays and tells something about the time period such as the desperation of the peasants and townspeople that enhance the story’s plot and characters. The theme of fate and coincidence are connected because everything in the story happened for a reason and the people’s fate determined what was going to happen to them. The French Revolution proved to be emotional and the characters in the book express and present their emotions perfectly. The symbols in A Tale of Two Cities have served effectively at making the story very useful and valuable.

Works Cited

Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities. Ed. Paul Negri. Dover Thrift ed.

Mineola: Dover, 1999. Print.