The Marquis In A Tale Of Two Cities

“Let you not mistake your duty as I mistook my own. I came into this village like a bridegroom to his beloved, bearing gifts of high religion; the very crowns of holy law I bought, and what I touched with my bright confidence, it died;

by chance. Coincidences are a main factor in the book and play a great role in the fallout of the

Yet, the Baron is a man of little if any virtue, not to mention the fact that he is a homosexual. Voltaire also introduces Brother Giroflee, a monk who was forced into the religious orders by his parents at the age of fifteen. He detests the monastery, wishes to set fire to his convent, and employs the services of prostitutes frequently. The religious leaders have not chosen to serve their people any more than the military soldiers have chosen to serve honor.

There are many relationships throughout the small part we read, in the story ‘The Palace Thief’. The few key relationship are Mr. Hundert & Sedgwick, Mr. Hundert & Senator Bell, and Mr. Hundert & Charles Ellerby.

“Many are friars in name but few by rights. As some say, Falseness is their prophet. Their cloak's appearance is poor, but their money box

A Tale of Two Cities, involves many complicated situations in which the characters must choose between chance or death, career or family, honor or revenge. As a result, ambiguity has evolved in multiple characters because of these difficult choices. Two prominently ambiguous characters are John Barsad and Monsieur Defarge. While Barsad recognizes the importance of career and honor, Defarge sees more prominence in family and revenge.

inferior to those of rulers, and far removed from manliness an uprightness” (Doc. 5). He

The Virtuous code of chivalry is shown when the bodies of the women husbands were slain and dragged out into the plain by the the Lord of Thebes King Creon. The Duke showing his code of chivalry promising he would take vengeance “swore on his oath that he was a true knight he would take vengeance on this tyrant King” (29). The Duke

the personality of his duchess, he is shown to be a heartless, arrogant man. His complete

When he arrives home, he sneaks into the palace under the guise of an old man (Beers). This was rather smart, as the suitors would have killed him had he arrived as himself. However, he plans to slaughter the men, and does (Beers). Killing a large amount of men that have not committed any seriously grievous crime,

when this loose behaviour I throw off/ And pay the debt I never promised,/ By so much shall I falsify men’s hopes;/ And, like bright metal on a sullen ground,/ My reformation, glittering o’er my fault,/ Shall show more goodly and attract more eyes/ Than that which hath no foil to set it off./ I’ll so offend to make offence a skill,/ Redeeming time when men think least I will. (1H4, 1.2.199-207)

Some would say that honor is a thing of the past; a thing long since extinct with the King Arthur and the knights of the round table. In fact, it is not, it is real and can still be seen all around through people all the time. In Charles Dicken’s novel, A Tale of Two Cities, honor and dishonor are main themes that are exemplified and enacted through many characters. To be honorable, or to act in honor, is to act in a way that is not necessarily socially acceptable, but is morally right, noble, and kind. To be dishonorable is to neglect the basic responsibility of treating every human being in the respectful manner they deserve, giving no variance to rank or status. Throughout the book different men show varying degrees of honor and dishonor.

On the right of the nobility to hunt, the Baron resigns himself to not but rather to allow others of ignoble birth to do so. Additionally, rather than leaving any substantial inheritance for his family, he squanders his wealth on frivolous lawsuits and the repainting of old family portraits (Mason and Rizzo 1999: 36). It is as if the only thing truly noble of the man is his name suggests Charriere, though in not so many words. The Baron’s son also seems far removed from a gentleman in his actions. Charriere notes “…he drank heavily and gambled every evening with his lackeys. His person was unpleasing, and keen eyes would have been needed to discern in him those characteristics which, according to some, are the infallible signs of noble birth” (Mason and Rizzo 1999: 37). All these traits stand in contrast with the recently ennobled Valaincourt, who as she notes “…more closely resembled his father than Baron d’Aronville resembled his thirtieth ancestor” (Mason and Rizzo 1999: 38).

The Count's perception of himself as a humble military man is challenged when he is asked to identify the Marquise's assailants. The Count lies and says that he can not recognize them. He lies because of his own embarrassment in committing the act that the Marquise's attackers attempted and not

is no honor which the King would be likely to deny you?" (page 66). More