“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” - A Tale of Two Cities Analysis

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”  The beginning sentence of ’A Tale of Two Cities’ was quoted countless time.  But I guess some people who know about this sentence, does not know what ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ is about.  If anyone wants to understand the original meaning of this sentence, and how this famous sentence was picked out, then he must read the original novel.

“in short, the period was so far like the present period.”  This sentence answered two questions about the first epic line: why say that and who is that line said to. Dickens hoped to use this novel, via describing disasters brought by the French Revolution, to express his own concern, toward the situation of United Kingdom.  A revolution in history, two cities representing two countries, server people within the world, became the main element of the story.

Although ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ is a classic novel, but since the author clearly described the background of revolution is the French Revolution, ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ is also viewed as the author’s view on that period of history.  And that is where the key controversial debate of the novel came about.  Dickens described not only the cruelty of the nobility, but also the irrational destruction made by the revolutions, in detail.  He believed, that the revolution is just one repression replaced by another repression, a bloody world replaced by a blood riot.  The most compelling part of the novel is the description toward the attack of Bastille – bloody, cruel, cunning, and vicious.

Dickens described the evil of the mob with a great focus; in some level, it might be the hatred toward the revolution.  Of course, as a humanitarian, Dickens pointed out the medicine to save the world: love.  This love is reflected in the novel with family, friendship and other personal feelings.  It is also reflected in a boarder way by saving the people.  Among them, the love of Carton stood out most.

I like Carton very much. As a matter of fact, Carton was an embodiment of Dickens: Dickens first created Carton this person and some characteristic of this person then created this novel.  Then, how is Carton as a person? “Sadly, sadly, the sun rose; it rose upon no sadder sight than the man of good abilities and good emotions, incapable of their directed exercise, incapable of his own help and his own happiness, sensible of the blight on him, and resigning himself to let it eat him away.”

Why this man of good abilities and emotions, resigned himself?  It was not told in the story; he was like that from the start.  There was no description of his family background.  In my opinion, this person represent Dickens himself, and that’s why he didn’t need to describe it – the resigning Carton, came from his own disappoint of this world.  Carton said in his words, “I see the evil of this time and of the previous time of which this is the natural birth, gradually making expiation for itself and wearing out.”

Carton, in the needs of friends, when the loved lady’s husband is about to be guillotined, appeared, used his own life as the price, and saved the husband.

Isn’t it what the love of Christ is about? The redemption of their own sins.  As a matter of fact, Carton said before his death, ““I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”  This is what Dickens hoped for “the worst of times”, and this is what made it “the best of times”.  Someone said that, as a classic, if without Sydney Carton, ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ would lose its value and glory.  I agree completely.