Sacrifice In A Tale Of Two Cities

637 Words2 Pages

Theme Essay- Sacrifice
Shagun Singh
Doing what is right isn't always the easiest thing to do, especially if there is sacrifice involved. In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens depicts the ongoing theme of sacrifice through Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton. Early on in the book, it is established that the Aristocrats had abused their power and now the revolutionaries were going to fight back.Charles Darnay, a wealthy aristocrat decides to sacrifice all his wealth to live a humble life. Sacrifice is associated with Darnay, as well as with Sydney Carton, an alcoholic lawyer who decides to change his ways by sacrificing himself. These characters sacrifice themselves or part of themselves in order to obtain something greater. Early on it is …show more content…

Carton believes he is “a disappointed drudge, sir. I care for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me" His careless attitude towards anyone or anything overshadows him. Carton believes no one cares for him which pushes him deeper into his dark void. Nevertheless, soon after meeting Lucie, Carton finds himself in love with her and later in the book, decides to sacrifice himself to give Lucie “a life you(Lucie) loves”(pg 154). Carton's sacrifice was a result of true love and selflessness. Dickens portrayal of sacrifice through Carton and Darnay, a foil, shows that everyone makes sacrifices to obtain something greater, such as Cartons love for Lucie which allowed her live a happy life. As Carton paces through the streets of Paris on the night before his death, Dickens use the allusion, “I am the resurrection,and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”(pg 319). This allusion to the Bible is something that was repeated throughout the book, as it showed the need of sacrifice in order to resurrect Carton. His prayer prompts readers to envision Sydney as a Christ-like figure. Moreover, this biblical reference alludes to Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead; like Christ, Carton

Sydney Carton Quotes
1498 Words | 3 Pages
When Carton is being taken to the guillotine, he meets a young seamstress who was imprisoned with Darnay. She soon discovers that Carton is not actually Darnay, ““Are you dying for him?” she whispered. “And his wife and child. Hush! Yes.”” (Dickens 365). Caron is asked by the seamstress if he is sacrificing himself for Darnay. Carton replies that he is, but also for Darnay’s wife and child, Lucie and little Lucie. This shows why Carton is sacrificing himself. Carton, though he is saving Darnay’s life, is ultimately giving his life to save Lucie and her child, as well as the future children she and Darnay will have. His love for Lucie is the true reason he commits such an act of self-violence. Sydney Carton’s sacrifice is heroic because he willingly gives his life to save Darnay’s and to preserve the happiness of his family (Keck). Carton is ultimately driven by his love for the Manette family, and his desire to protect them and the love they have for one another. Though Sydney Carton is seemingly a failure, “his redeeming grace is his love for Lucie, which persuades him to sacrifice himself so that she and her family can escape” (Plot Summary). Again, this shows that Carton’s sacrifice is driven by the love he holds for Lucie. Everything Carton told Lucie he would do for her and her family has ultimately
Read More
Tale Of Two Cities Dialectical Journal
2442 Words | 5 Pages
During the final event of the book, Carton sacrifices his life. He saves Darnays life purely for the happiness of Lucie. Carton drugs Darnay and Barsad takes him to the carriage outside where his family is waiting.
Read More
Carton's Depression In A Tale Of Two Cities
1589 Words | 4 Pages
He paid the highest cost of sacrifice with his life. A biblical allusion can be seen because Carton can represent Jesus Christ and the famous wine scene shows the blood of Jesus and how France is corrupted. Carton described Darnay as “a dissolute dog who has never done any good, and never will.” However, he sacrificed his life for him and his family. This enforces the idea that Carton is similar is a an allusion to Jesus because Jesus sacrificed his life for the people who treated him poorly. However, Carton shows in the passage how he is envious of Darnay. He feels that Darnay is controlling what he could have possibly controlled which is Lucie’s love. Later, Carton meets Lucie and lets her know that he will do anything for her happiness and her family. the significance in this quotation is that it shows how complex Carton’s character is unlike what is shown in the passage as being fragile and has a lot of mood
Read More
Tale Of Two Cities Nature Essay
684 Words | 2 Pages
He yearns for a life he was never able to experience, a life like the one led by Charles Darnay. Carton reflects on his life, “Waste forces within him, and a desert all around, this man stood still on his way across a silent terrace, and saw for a moment, lying in the wilderness before him, a mirage of honorable ambition, self-denial, and perseverance” (Dickens 88). Carton has lived a long life and he has nothing to show for it. With no wife
Read More
Sacrifice in A Tale of Two Cities
1033 Words | 3 Pages
He lets Dr. Manette know his true identity and that he is the nephew to the Marquis St. Evremonde. In Book The Third, Sydney Carton makes an astonishing sacrifice for the sake of principle when he fulfills his promise to Lucie Manette, his true love, that he will one day sacrifice himself for the person whom Lucie loves. All of the above sacrifices were made with the intention of keeping morals and principles high in human life. Whether it is your life or your feelings towards someone, we have learned that it is always better to give for the greater cause. Works Cited Dickens, Charles.
Read More
Tale Of Two Cities Passage Analysis Essay
474 Words | 1 Pages
Sydney’s execution seems to allow him to forgive and redeem himself for his past wrongdoings. In his final actions (such as the reassurance of the weaver girl and the Bible quotation), Carton appears to better himself as a person in his last moments of personhood. In addition, Sydney potentially improves the life of future generations by giving up his own. He is motivated by the thought his love, Lucie, and Darnay having a child of his namesake, and pledges that his loyalty and death will mean betterment for thousands of good people. This is supported by the following quote: “I see him [Darnay’s child] winning it so well, that my name is made illustrious there by the light of his. I see the blots I threw upon it, faded away.” (pg. ) Carton’s choice could either be seen as a noble rebirth, Christ-like in its execution, or a final self-indulgent act of fatalism. However, Dickens certainly seems to think that he is nothing less than a
Read More
"Recalled to Life" in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
758 Words | 2 Pages
...he will do anything for her, even die for someone she loves. Lucie recalls Sydney by opening him up to doing something with his life. He later uses this new mindset to save Charles’s life. After Sydney is inspired to make something of his life he vows to do something good. To do this, he dies for Charles Darnay to show his love for Lucie. This is how Sydney Carton is recalled to life.
Read More
Sydney Carton Allusions
907 Words | 2 Pages
As he contemplates his decision to sacrifice himself, “he stopped in the middle of the street under a glimmering lamp...[and continued down the] several dark and dirty streets…[that] remained uncleansed” (242). Dicken’s word choice, of the “glimmering lamp,” symbolizes Carton’s last sign of hope to cleanse himself of his dark past and save Lucie’s family. Besides, the “glimmering lamp” is also alluding to the Bible where the word of God “is a lamp for [Carton’s] feet, [and] a light on [his] path” (Psalm 119:105) to guide him through his decision, to find eternal peace. However, the road to peace would be a treacherous journey for Carton as the price for peace is his death. Therefore, as Carton’s decision was a “settled manner of a tired man, who had wandered and struggled,” (243) until he saw the end of his path (fate). Dicken’s diction of a “tired man,” characterizes Carton’s past as he is exhausted from the troubles of life and feels as he did not have a purpose to live like he is subconsciously lost. Also, Dicken’s characterization of Carton is seen as he transforms from being a drunk to a man who knows the world would be better with him dead. Thus, finding his real purpose in life by sacrificing himself to reunite Lucie’s family. After all, Dicken’s despairing tone and allusions towards Sydney Carton reveals his true
Read More
Christianity in a Tale of Two Cities
1696 Words | 4 Pages
Dickens responded to this "dog-eat-dog" social climate by writing A Tale of Two Cities as a vehicle to reform society. He intends to fortify Christian values within English culture, such as self-sacrifice and kindness, in a time when he feels these values are threatened and sometimes completely overlooked. In this essay, I will show how Dickens interweaves his moral agenda of Christian values into the novel by using contrasts, symbols, and the motif of doubles as well as the evolution of Sydney Carton into a Christ-like figure with the goal of inspiring the reader to the point of evolving into an ethically "good" human being.
Read More
Charles Dickens' Use of Sacrifice in A Tale of Two Cities
1047 Words | 3 Pages
The theme of sacrifice is portrayed in A Tale of Two Cities in several ways through the actions of Dr. Manette, Mr. Defarge, and Sydney Carton, but all acts of sacrifice display audacity and show how much love and compassion there must be for that person. Giving up something or risking your life for another person or name is one of the hardest and bravest acts a person can do. Dr. Manette, Mr. Defarge, and Sydney Carton’s actions showed just how much they love Lucie Manette and their acts of sacrifice showed how they would do anything to please her. Sacrificing yourself or your name for someone not only lets you achieve inner happiness, but shows how courageous a person must be to do so.
Read More
Comparing Caron's Sacrifice In A Tale Of Two Cities
1103 Words | 3 Pages
Carton's sacrifice is not only literal, but symbolic in the way he transforms from a degenerate to a self sacrificing hero archetype by the end of the novel; his transition mirrors that of the French Revolution. However; Dickens does not favor the methods of the revolutionaries, as they do not reflect the values of sacrifice in order to bring about change. In the final chapter of the novel dickens makes the sentiment “Sow the same seed of rapacious licence and oppression over again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind” (Dickens 355). This, contrasted with Carton's sacrifice later in the chapter concisely displays Dickens’ view that to create some sort or change or find redemption one must be willing to sacrifice something for the greater good. Dickens’ description of people France during the revolution encompasses the same contrast found throughout a tale of two cities; in this specific example however it is the contrast of the angry and chaotic mob of the common folk of France in direct contract with the redeeming qualities of the protagonists of the novel.
Read More
Sydney Carton Quotes
1612 Words | 4 Pages
In his last moments, he sees a future where all his friends are happy and safe, Lucie and Darnay with a child named after him; a future where he holds a special place in their hearts and in the hearts of generations hence, and the mistakes he made in his life balance out with his ultimate sacrifice. Sydney Carton dies with the knowledge that his sacrifice will not be for naught, and after a wasted life, he has finally managed to overcome his internal struggle and will be reborn into glory, or as
Read More
Free Essays on A Tale of Two Cities: Theme of Resurrection
588 Words | 2 Pages
The best example of resurrection in the entire book, is also partly ironic in that Sydney Carton must die for this resurrection to take place, when he is executed on the guillotine in Paris. However, his death is not in the book as Dicken's idea of poetic justice, as in the case of the villains, but rather as a divine reward. This is displayed when Carton decides to sacrifice himself by dying on the guillotine instead of Darnay, with "I am the Resurrection and the life." This theme of resurrection appears earlier on with Carton's prophecy, where he envisions a son to be born to Lucie and Darnay, a son who will bear Carton's name. Thus he will symbolically be reborn through Lucie and Darnay's child. This vision serves another purpose, though. In the early parts of the novel, Lucie and Darnay have a son, who dies when he is a very young child.
Read More
The Dynamic Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities
461 Words | 1 Pages
At the beginning of the novel, Sydney Carton presents himself as a drunken attorney. When Carton converses with Charles Darnay, Dickens presents Carton as a drunk, "Carton, who smelt of port wine, and did not appear to be quite sober" (89). Carton appears constantly drunk at the beginning of the novel. Also, Carton has no sense of self-worth. When Carton drinks at the Bar with Mr. Stryver, Stryver describes him as, "[Y]our way is, and always was, a lame way. You summon no energy and purpose" (95). Dickens, also describes Carton as, "Sydney Carton, idlest and most unpromising of men" (92). As most people believe, Carton feels that he himself has no purpose. He agrees with the way other people feel about him and takes no initiative.
Read More
Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities
617 Words | 2 Pages
He had a promise to Lucie, and he wasn’t going to disappoint her. Sydney Carton picked up the pieces of his life and became a new man, which allowed him to die with a positive view on life instead of the recently changed negative outlook. His love for Lucie changed him for the better in so many ways and let him experience feelings that he had held inside of him for a long time. He became a compassionate individual and died with a clear conscience.
Read More

Open Document

Wait a second!

Sacrifice In A Tale Of Two Cities

Sydney Carton Quotes

Tale Of Two Cities Dialectical Journal

Carton's Depression In A Tale Of Two Cities

Tale Of Two Cities Nature Essay