Charles Dickens, one of the greatest creators of characters in English fiction, is expert at the presentation of a large diversity of characters in his novels. Indeed, he aims at the portrayal of the infinite range and variety of mankind. He does not bother himself in analysing the individual. His genius was for the extensive, not the intensive vision. Despite this fact, this novel is remarkble because of individualized characters.

Art of Characterization in the Novel “A Tale of Two Cities”:

A Tale of Two Cities deals with individualized characters. Every character becomes a distinct person in his or her right. All the characters differ from one another. For example, Dr. Manette who is the victim of fits of insanity, is an outstanding character. Mr. Lorry, the old bachelor who has grown grey in the service of Tellson's bank is another remarkable character who differs from other characters. Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay who are similar to each other physically, are also distinctive characters. Lucie stands for an entirely different type of womanhood from that which is represented by Madame Defarge. A great and sharp contrast between these two women is very outstanding. Miss Pross also belongs to different category. Mr. Stryver and Jerry Cruncher are other individualized characters though they belong to the minor category. Thus, the novelist makes all the characters individualized in this novel.

Charles Dickens is a master painter. He bears resemblance to William Shakespeare in the field of characterization. Boundless variety of humanity is one of the distinguishing features of his art of character portrayal. Baker, in the Vllth volume of History of the English Novel, remarks, "Charles Dickens's affair was with characters, not with character, to portray the infinite diversity of mankind, not to analyse the individual. His genius was for the extensive, not the intense vision." Dickens was acquainted with various people, he had knowledge of stupendous range of life. Dickens's characters may be classified under three heads.

The first category refers to those live characters who may perhaps have had their germs in peculiarities or eccentricities whom Dickens was actually acquainted with, but developed and transfigured them into something richer and more peculiar. The second category refers to those characters who range from the richest to the boldest class. Thirdly, there are conventional good people, or conventional bad people who belong to the next category; they are not characters, they love personality. So far as the delineation of female characters is concerned he has not achieved that much of success. The chief reason is that he was not sufficiently acquainted with female mind and heart. He could not understand the complications of the lady's heart. However, he has succeeded in depicting Mrs. Betsay and Peggotty.

Delineations of the children seem to be Dickens's specialty. He is at his best in the delineations of children like David, Naddles, Steerforth and Pip. He describes them with a remarkable skill and makes them highly impressive. His comic characters receive his greatest attention. His talent as a character painter finds its best expression in the creation of grotesque characters like Mrs. Micawber, Vriah Heep, Wemmick and Wopstle. Dickens's characters are not merely individuals but symbolic figures. It is contributory cause of their gigantic stature that they are symbolic figures.

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