Tale Of Two Cities Sacrifice

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Certain character’s love for one another in A Tale of Two Cities causes physical and emotional struggles in their lives. These struggles ultimately lead to a variation of sacrifices. Death, humility, and devotion are the key sacrifices made throughout the novel. Sacrifice plays an important role in the lives, beliefs, and behavior of the characters in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. The sacrifices Dr. Manette and Lucie make for each other may go unnoticed, but are of great importance. Lucie goes to great lengths to help her father in his times of struggle. As Dr. Manette is gaining his sanity back after being imprisoned, Lucie devotes herself to him. She disregards personal desires to assist her father whom she thought was once …show more content…

Darnay chooses a better life than to follow the path of his selfish and cruel uncle, the Marquis Evrémonde. He even rejects his inheritance that comes with keeping his family name. Darnay shows immense responsibility in doing so. His virtue is tested, but Charles proves to have better morals than his uncle. Darnay says to the Marquis, “I believe our name to be more detested than any name in France” (Dickens 116). This statement reassures Charles that even in his lying, he makes the right choice. Furthermore, Darnay’s sacrifice becomes larger when the Evrémonde’s history with Madame Defarge is revealed. A family member of Darnay rapes and kills Madame Defarge’s sister, leading to the death of her father and brother. These deaths create confusion for Darnay in the position he is in, especially when Madame Defarge finds out his true identity. Therefore, Darnay’s original sacrifice leads to a more extensive problem involving Lucie, as well as struggle and violence once again. It is shown that Darnay is aware of the fault in some of his actions when the novel states: “he knew very well, that in his love for Lucie, his renunciation of his social place, though by no means new to his own mind, had been hurried and incomplete” (Dickens 225). Though not always truthful or leading to peace, Charles Darnay makes the right

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