“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
Book One: Recalled to Life
The novel opens in 1775, contrasting the turmoil in England and France. Jarvis Lorry, a banker, travels to Paris to retrieve Dr. Manette, a French physician imprisoned for 18 years in the Bastille. Dr. Manette is now mentally broken and works as a shoemaker in the care of his former servant, Ernest Defarge, and his wife, Madame Defarge. Lorry brings Dr. Manette to London, where he is reunited with his daughter, Lucie Manette, who believed him dead.
Book Two: The Golden Thread
Five years later, Charles Darnay, a French émigré, stands trial in London for treason, accused of spying for France. He is acquitted when his resemblance to dissolute lawyer Sydney Carton casts doubt on his identification. Both men are drawn to Lucie Manette. Darnay reveals his true identity as a French nobleman who has renounced his title, while Carton, though in love with Lucie, remains a self-loathing alcoholic. Darnay and Lucie marry, and they live happily with Dr. Manette in London.
Meanwhile, in France, the oppressed peasantry grows restless under aristocratic rule. The Defarges, now revolutionary leaders, secretly plot against the nobility. When Darnay returns to Paris to help a wrongly imprisoned servant, he is arrested by revolutionaries for his aristocratic lineage. Dr. Manette, once a victim of the aristocracy, uses his influence to secure Darnay’s release—but he is rearrested when Madame Defarge produces a hidden letter from Dr. Manette’s prison cell, condemning the Evrémonde family (Darnay’s ancestors) for their cruelty.
Book Three: The Track of a Storm
Darnay is sentenced to death by the revolutionary tribunal. Sydney Carton, still in love with Lucie, devises a plan to save him. He drugs Darnay in prison, swaps clothes with him, and has him smuggled out with the help of a spy. Carton, impersonating Darnay, goes to the guillotine in his place, declaring, “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done.” Madame Defarge, seeking vengeance against the Evrémondes, attempts to denounce Lucie and her daughter but is killed in a struggle with Lucie’s governess, Miss Pross. The novel ends with Carton’s heroic sacrifice and a vision of a peaceful future.
Key Ideas
- Resurrection and personal redemption
- The brutality of revolution and mob justice
- Self-sacrifice for love
- Class oppression and social injustice
- The cyclical nature of history
Notable Adaptations
| Year | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1935 | A Tale of Two Cities (film) | Starring Ronald Colman as Sydney Carton |
| 1958 | A Tale of Two Cities (film) | BBC television adaptation |
| 1980 | A Tale of Two Cities (TV) | Miniseries starring Chris Sarandon |
| 1989 | A Tale of Two Cities (TV) | Animated adaptation |
Who should read this book?
- Fans of historical fiction and revolutionary dramas
- Readers interested in themes of sacrifice and redemption
- Those who enjoy rich character studies and moral dilemmas
- Literature enthusiasts exploring classic 19th-century novels