A Tale of Two Cities

Name: A Tale of Two Cities
ISBN: 9787531729723

Charles Dickens / 杨晶Apr 2016

4.3

Word count: 66K words
Chapters: 18
ISBN: 9787531729723

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Summary

A Tale of Two Cities is one of Dickens's most important representative works and holds a special place in his entire oeuvre. It has been popular with readers since its publication. Two or three years before he began writing in 1859, Dickens had begun to conceive the figure of Carton, which was his first intention. In the same period, however, he became more aware of the sharpening social contradictions in England: the economic depression and the corruption and incompetence of oligarchic government after the Crimean War, the Chartist movement's three rises and falls, and revolutionary movements across continental Europe. This explosive situation filled him with anxiety. It seemed much like the eve of the French Revolution, and he feared that revolution might recur in England. He therefore resolved to issue a warning in his work, which became one of the novel's themes. Through the story he sought to promote his humanitarian ideals and to warn both the rulers and the public of his time: tyranny provokes violence; crisis is imminent; all should be compassionate; bloodshed only breeds more bloodshed; revenge answered by revenge is endless; only benevolence can avert catastrophe.

Editor's review

A Tale of Two Cities interweaves London and Paris, individual fates and the storm of an era, offering both the tension of a suspenseful plot and the weight of confronting social crisis. What moves readers most is not the ingenuity of the plot but its warning against the cycle of violence: when hatred is continually nourished by institutions, revolution strikes back with even greater violence. Dickens does not reduce his characters to simple symbols of good and evil; instead, doctors, aristocrats, revolutionaries, and marginal figures each bear the consequences of their choices, and Carton's sacrifice in particular turns "benevolence" from an abstract slogan into a tangible act. This edition reads smoothly and serves well as an entry into Dickens's long novels. While reading, note the recurring motifs of "resurrection" and "sacrifice," and how private emotions are torn apart by public history. It rewards slow reading in quiet hours and also invites comparison with histories of the French Revolution; those seeking only a light love story may find themselves interrupted by its gloom and discursiveness.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who love classic literature and are willing to read a long novel slowly, wanting to experience Dickens's narrative art
History enthusiasts interested in the relationship between the French Revolution and individual fates
Readers concerned with ethical questions such as redemption, sacrifice, and the cycle of violence
Organizers looking for a book-club selection with depth for discussion

Not a good fit for

Readers who want only a light love story and wish to avoid heavy social issues
Readers who prefer fast-paced, plot-driven books and lack patience for lengthy passages of commentary
Readers sensitive to depictions of revolutionary violence and gloomy atmospheres, who may be easily affected

Reading tips

First sort out the character relationships in the London and Paris storylines, then move on to the outbreak of the revolution
When Carton first appears, mark his psychological changes and revisit his choice at the end
Read alongside a brief history of the French Revolution to understand the novel's warning about violence
Read two or three chapters a day, and after each chapter summarize the conflict in one sentence

版权信息
前言
名师导读
推荐序
被湮没在时代中的人
在法庭上初识
“胡狼”般的西德尼·卡顿
侯爵老爷的前生今世
他们爱上了同一个女人
德发日太太的毛衣
达内和露西结为了夫妻
攻占巴士底狱
因营救老仆人而被秘密监禁
突生的变局让人不知所措
设法营救查尔斯·达内
崇高的人将获得永生
阅读反馈
编者寄语

FAQ

Why does A Tale of Two Cities repeatedly write about "resurrection"?

This relates to characters being received back into life after suffering and to the spiritual renewal brought by sacrifice. While reading, you can connect resurrection on the personal level with renewal on the historical level, but there is no need to read it as a simple religious allegory.

Can I understand it without knowing about the French Revolution?

Yes. The main storyline is still about individual fates and moral choices; the revolution provides the pressure-filled environment. If you first learn the basic course of the revolution, the class system, and the violent conflicts, it will be easier to understand why the characters are pushed along by their times.

How should Carton's sacrifice be understood?

It should not be seen merely as a romantic self-fulfillment. It is also a rejection of the cycle of hatred and the climax of the author's expression of the ideal of benevolence through concrete action. While reading, ask: whose lives did his choice change, and what could it not change?

Is this suitable for middle-school students?

High-school students interested in history and classics can try it, but they will need an adult or teacher to help sort out the characters and background; younger middle-school readers may struggle because of the length, the commentary, and the violent descriptions, so an abridged version or a guide is recommended first.

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About the author

Charles Dickens Author · British · 1812–1870

Charles Dickens was the greatest novelist of the Victorian era in nineteenth-century Britain. Born in Portsmouth in 1812, he was forced to leave school and work as a child laborer because of his family's debts, an experience that profoundly shaped his critical view of society. His major works include Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations, which expose social injustice and are filled with humanitarian concern. With intricate plots, vivid characters, and an infectious style, he portrayed the many facets of Victorian British society and addressed issues such as the gap between rich and poor, justice, and education. His works remain widely read today, and the library holds 128 editions of his works, spanning foreign literature, world classics, and inspirational coming-of-age categories.

杨晶 Author

Yang Jing's publicly available information is limited, and details of the author's identity and life are not clearly established in the source materials. Judging from the existing works, Yang Jing is closely associated with the compilation and editing of foreign literary classics, including such major novels as Gone with the Wind, Anne of Green Gables, Jane Eyre, A Tale of Two Cities, and The Red and the Black, as well as mystery and detective works such as Selected Sherlock Holmes Stories, and essay collections and social satires such as A Pipe Smoker's Notes and The Good Soldier Švejk. The collection contains twenty-one related works, commonly classified under foreign literature, world classics, mystery and detective fiction, essays and miscellaneous writings, social novels, and classical literature. This suggests a focus on presenting foreign literature in forms accessible to Chinese readers, with selections balancing popular readability and literary-historical value.