Tuesday 27 December 2022

Discuss the Plot Construction of "A Tale of Two Cities".

A Tale of Two Cities is the best example of the fact that Dickens is one of the most successful story writers. Like other novels, A Tale of Two Cities also contains a realistic approach. What is most important about the story is that the readers eagerly wait for the next incident. The novel contains a well-constructed plot which does not suffer from any undue interruption or digressions.

Plot Construction of "A Tale of Two Cities":

The author is expert in constructing the plot on the ground of the deep connection between private lives and public events. The domestic life of a few simple private people in this novel is knitted and interwoven with the outbreak of a terrible public event so much skilfully that both seem to be made of each other.

The plot of the novel is the most unique one of all the novels of Dickens. The note of the melodrama and suspense dominates the story very realistically. From the beginning to the end a mysterious atmosphere is felt by the readers. The presentation of many major characters like Dr. Manette, Mr. and Miss Defarge, Mr. Lony, Sydney Carton is very noteworthy because of the background of suspense Like other novels, A Tale of Two Cities also deals with humour and pathos and their blending. The start of the novel, when Dr. Manette is presented as a ghost because he has been freed from the imprisonment after eighteen years, is very pathetic. Doctor's madness always creates the best pathos. Other events that provide the plot with pathos, are the sacrificial death of Carton, Lucie's grief over and his baby etc.

The actions in the story of the novel often shift from London to Paris and from Paris to London. But this shifting is so much natural that no confusion is felt by the readers. Whenever the scene changes from one place to another, we can adjust our minds quickly. As the differences of the actions are concerned, the actions of Paris are more horrible than those of London. In London the life is smooth and quiet while Paris is always highlighted with great tension.

Among the other important features of the plot construction of A Tale of Two Cities, doubling parallelism is the most outstanding. Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton are the doubles who closely resemble each other regarding their physical appearance. This resemblance is so much significant that Darny's escape becomes possible only because of it. The use of symbolism is another important feature of the structure of the novel. For example, the spilling of wine is a symbolic incident which prepares us for the subsequent spilling of blood in the streets of France.

A Tale of Two Cities has been appreciated because of its interesting story but it has also been criticized for its faults and weakness. For example, the narrative becomes too leisurely. The novelist has described Stryver's desire to marry with Lucie in two chapters; he could have dealt with this aspect in one chapter. In the same way three chapters are developed to the description of the nature of Marquis Evremonde. These chapters could also have been within limits. Thus the construction of the story is, skilful but not perfect.

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