Discuss Dickens’ attitude towards the French Revolution in “A Tale of Two Cities.”
A Tale of Two Cities is a notable literary work by Charles Dickens. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of A Tale of Two Cities.
Answer
Discuss Dickens’ attitude towards the French Revolution in “A Tale of Two Cities.”
The French Revolution (1789) is a remarkable and notable phenomenon in the history of France. “A Tale of Two Cities (1859)”, written by the Victorian novelist Charles Dickens (1812-1870). It is an essential document by which the author has depicted his attitude towards the French Revolution. He upheld his ideas about the French Revolution in the following way.
Background of the Novel: Dickens uses the French Revolution as the background of his novel. In his literary work “A Tale of Two Cities,” he visualizes three sections, such as in 1775 before the Revolution, the exact time of the French Revolution in 1789, and the post-revolutionary period. Dickens has portrayed a selfless love story by which he has upheld a historical background to provide a lesson that Revolution means destruction, destruction of any country’s social and political circumference. Because by the French Revolution, not only the upper-class people but also the lower-class people were destructed. This novel has been designed with a complex plot so that the reader has to discover the cause of the French Revolution.
“It was the best of times and it was the worst of times;
It was the age of wisdom and it was the age of foolishness;”
Dickens uses the French Revolution as the background of his novel to throw a hidden message not to be revolutionary.
Causes of the French Revolution: Revolution is brought about in any country for specific reasons. In the novel “A Tale of Two Cities”, the reasons for the Revolution brought about in France have been indicated.
Excessive Taxation: In 1775, France practised Monarchy by King Luis XVI. So, it is apparent that people were to pay a high tax rate for buying any product. It is pathetic that the people who cannot manage their meals must pay such a high rate of taxes. It can be one of the reasons for the French Revolution.
Abject Poverty: A significantUnlock this study guide now