A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, published in 1859, is a historical novel set against the backdrop of the French Revolution in London and Paris. It follows Dr. Alexandre Manette, released after 18 years in the Bastille, who reunites with his daughter Lucie in England; their lives intertwine with Charles Darnay, a French aristocrat who renounces his heritage, and Sydney Carton, a dissolute lawyer who resembles Darnay and harbors unrequited love for Lucie. As revolutionary fervor erupts in France, Darnay returns to Paris amid escalating violence, leading to his imprisonment and death sentence, while themes of resurrection, sacrifice, and social injustice unfold—culminating in Carton’s famous self-redemptive act with the words, It is a far, far better thing that I do.