A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Study Questions
1. How is the court that tries Darnay described?

2. How does Darnay defend himself?

3. From whom did he learn to appeal to the court in this way?

4. What is the result of the trial?

5. To what can this courtroom scene be compared?

6. How does Lucie react upon seeing Charles?

7. What does Lucie do next?

8. What happens when Charles and Lucie return to their apartment?

9. How has this happened?

10. What mystery does the chapter end on?

Answers
1. It is a horrid place that looks as if “the felons were trying the honest men.”

2. He reminds the court that he is the son-in-law of Dr. Manette and he appeals directly to the crowd’s emotions.

3. Dr. Manette advised him to proceed in this way.

4. Darnay is acquitted.

5. It can easily be compared to Darnay’s earlier trial in England.

6. She collapses “insensible” into his arms.

7. She recovers and offers a prayer to God.

8. Four soldiers show up and arrest Charles again.

9. The Defarges have denounced him.

10. It ends by saying that there is a third person who has denounced Darnay, but it does not reveal who this third person is.