Themes: Resurrection
The first book of A Tale of Two Cities bears the title “Recalled to Life.” The words are those of the “Blazing strange message” that Jarvis Lorry asks Jerry Cruncher to deliver, and they apply first of all to Dr. Manette, who seems more dead than alive after eighteen years in the Bastille. There are repeated references to Dr. Manette being “buried alive,” and Lorry thinks of himself as one who is “on his way to dig someone out of a grave,” one of many such references to disinterment scattered through the text.
While Dr. Manette is rescued from a living death, the coffin in which Roger Cly was supposed to have been buried turns out to contain nothing but stones. The man himself is presumably alive and engaged in his old professions of espionage and laying information, and Sydney Carton foresees that he will eventually fall victim to the guillotine, along with his associate, John Barsad. The emptiness of the coffin is discovered by Jerry Cruncher, who is a body-snatcher, known by the euphemistic name of “Resurrection-Man.” Young Jerry, his son, quizzes Cruncher on the trade and the goods in which he deals, finally expressing a desire to join the family business:
“His goods,” said Mr. Cruncher, after turning it over in his mind, “is a branch of Scientific goods.”
“Persons' bodies, ain't it, father?” asked the lively boy.
“I believe it is something of that sort,” said Mr. Cruncher.
“Oh, father, I should so like to be a Resurrection-Man when I'm quite growed up!”
The biblical text of John 11.25–26 is repeated several times, and it is the last thing Sydney Carton thinks of before the series of prophesies with which he goes to 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.
Carton, like Dr. Manette, has endured a form of living death. His bitterness and cynicism have increased over the years, until he had nothing left for which to live. The sacrifice he makes at the end of the book gives him peace and purpose, a form of resurrection even before the afterlife promised by the Christian faith. Carton even foresees the resurrection of Paris itself, “a beautiful city and a brilliant people” rising out of the abyss, as the evils of the Terror are expiated over time.
Expert Q&A
Why does Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities often compare himself to the resurrection and frequently repeat John 11.25-26?
"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".
Sydney Carton often compares himself to the resurrection and repeats John 11.25-26 because he sees his sacrifice to save Charles Darnay as a means of redeeming his dissolute life. His actions parallel Christ's sacrifice, as he plans to die to save others, particularly for his love for Lucie, which gives his life meaning and honor.
Can Sidney Carton's wasted life in A Tale of Two Cities be redeemed through his love for Lucie Manette?
Sidney Carton's life is ultimately redeemed through his love for Lucie Manette. Initially portrayed as a brilliant but dissipated man, Carton's affection for Lucie inspires him to take selfless actions. His love for her leads him to sacrifice his life for her husband's, Charles Darnay, during the French Revolution. By dying in Darnay's place, Carton fulfills his promise to Lucie and gains redemption, transforming his wasted life into one of noble sacrifice.
In A Tale of Two Cities, what major literary allusions, such as Sydney Carton's Christ-like persona, add depth to the novel?
Major literary allusions in A Tale of Two Cities include Sydney Carton's Christ-like persona, symbolizing redemption through sacrifice. Dickens uses biblical references, particularly Genesis and Ecclesiastes, to explore themes of sin and Christian trials. Secular allusions involve Greek mythology, such as Madame Defarge's resemblance to the Fates and the Furies, highlighting revolutionary chaos. These allusions contrast the instability of earthly life with the transcendent stability of faith, underscoring Carton's redemptive arc.
How does the phrase "recalled to life" represent Jerry Cruncher and Carton's life in A Tale of Two Cities?
How is the theme of resurrection portrayed in A Tale of Two Cities?
The theme of resurrection in A Tale of Two Cities is portrayed through characters reinventing themselves and the larger idea of France's rebirth during the revolution. Key examples include Dr. Manette's release from prison, Jerry Cruncher's grave robbing, and Sydney Carton's sacrificial death to save Charles Darnay, symbolizing his own spiritual rebirth. These instances highlight Dickens' exploration of resurrection both literally and metaphorically.
What is the significance of the repeated use of "ghost" in this excerpt from Book Three, Chapter 1 of A Tale of Two Cities?
So strangley clouded were these refinements by the prison manners and gloom, so spectral did they become in the inappropriate squalor and mistery through which they were seen that Charles Darnay seemed to stand in a company of the dead. Ghosts all! The ghost of beauty, the ghost of stateliness, the ghost of elegance, the ghost of pride, the ghost of frivolity, the ghost of wit, the ghost of youth, the ghost of age, all waiting their dismissal from the desolate shore, all turning on him eyes that were changed by the dead they had died coming here.
The repeated use of "ghost" signifies the spectral nature of the prisoners surrounding Charles Darnay, suggesting their imminent death due to the Revolution. This imagery foreshadows their fate, as they represent the remnants of good breeding and manners, now out of place in their squalid prison setting. The phrase "changed by the death they had died coming here" implies that they are metaphorically dead, awaiting their physical demise as the Revolution purges France of aristocrats.
What is Dickens' message about death and resurrection in Carton's final vision in A Tale of Two Cities?
In "A Tale of Two Cities," Dickens conveys a message of death and resurrection through Sydney Carton's final vision. Carton sacrifices his life for Charles Darnay, whom Lucie Manette loves, thus finding redemption and worth in his previously wasted life. By dying, Carton believes he will be resurrected through Lucie's child, who will bear his name and embody noble qualities. This act of ultimate love and sacrifice ensures Carton's spiritual rebirth and enduring legacy.
How do Jerry Cruncher and Dr. Manette contribute to the resurrection theme in A Tale of Two Cities?
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.
