What Did Manette Write in His Letter of Denunciation?
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Answer
Who was Doctor Manette, and what did he write in his letter of denunciation? [NU: 2014, 18, 21] ★★★
Doctor Alexandre Manette is one of the main characters in “A Tale of Two Cities” (1859) by Charles Dickens (1812–1870). He was a skilled French doctor who was kind and honest. Many years ago, the Evrémonde brothers secretly imprisoned him in the Bastille. He had to remain imprisoned in this fort for eighteen long years.
The Story Behind the Letter: In December 1757, the Evrémonde brothers took Dr. Manette to treat a dying peasant girl and her wounded brother. The girl had been kidnapped and raped by one of the brothers. Her father had died from grief, and her husband had been killed. Her brother had tried to protect their younger sister. But the Marquis stabbed him. Later, he was run over by his carriage. Before dying, the young man cursed the Evrémonde family.
Writing the Letter: Shocked and angry, Dr. Manette, father of Lucie Manette, wrote a detailed letter to the authorities. He included the whole truth about the crime. He exposed the brothers’ cruelty and injustice. But before he could deliver it, the Evrémondes found out. They kidnapped him and locked him in prison to keep him silent. While in prison, he hid the letter in his cell wall.
The Letter’s Effect: Years later, during Charles Darnay’s trial in Paris, Madame Defarge found the hidden letter. Her husband, Monsieur Defarge, reads the letter in court during Charles Darnay’s trial. The revolutionaries used it as proof against Darnay. They were saying he was guilty because he was part of the Evrémonde family. Even though Darnay had no part in the crime, the court sentenced him to death by guillotine the next day.
In short, Dr. Manette’s letter was an honest cry for justice. But it became the reason for his son-in-law’s death sentence.