Who Is Charles Darnay A Hero

In the novel, A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens opens with an anaphora, about how the world is throughout the novel. A reoccurring theme throughout this story is the battle between good and evil. Most of the novel is about the struggles each force has and how most of the time good triumphs over evil. In A Tale of Two Cities, the triumph of love, the death of the Marquis, and the contrast between Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay shows how good triumphed over evil.

Darnay represents this goodness by making something out of nothing, and working all on his own to make a life for himself other than being handed everything. Darnay chose a good way to go because Sydney Carton was Darnay's lawyer that saved him from being imprisoned or worse in one of his court cases. Carton looks identical but is an alcoholic that is jealous of Darnay and the life that he has made for himself. Darnay has scorned Carton and judged him to be a useless drunk, little does Darnay know that the person he scorns will save his life. Fortunately, Darnay learns the errors of his judgement, to honor Carton, he names his son Sydney, in honor of the man who twice saved his life. It would have been very easy for Charles to just take all the riches of being the marquis of France, but he would have been continuing his family tradition of wrongdoings and not been true to his character which symbolize justice. Dicken let us only believe that he is a good guy throughout the story and not giving us anything else about his character, “His latent uneasiness had been, that bad aims were being worked out in his own unhappy land by bad instruments, and that he who could not fail to know that he was better than they, was not there, trying to do something to stay bloodshed, and assert the claims of mercy and humanity” (Dickens 212). Darnay represent a good man, Justice and Duty but also learn from judging people too

When Lucie gave birth and named their first daughter “Little Lucie”, Little Lucie become closed to Sydney Carton. Carton enjoys hanging out with the family and felt worthy around Darnay’s family. Later in the 3rd Book, once Charles is tried once more then sentenced to death, Carton remembers his promise to Lucie. He realizes that he will most likely escape with shift places with Charles and nobody can notice due to their similar look. He devises and carries out a thought to save lots of Charles. As he's progressing to the scaffold to die, he is bothered however this is often the foremost worthy issue he has ever wiped out his life (Dickens 55). He is aware of that his life currently has that means even supposing he's close to behave.

“‘Are you dying for him?’ she whispered. ‘And his wife and child. Hush! Yes.’ ‘O you will let me hold your brave hand, stranger?’”( Dickens 631). The Seamstress recognizes that Sydney has taken Charles place to be killed, she begins to adore him because of his heroic act. Sydney gave up his opportunity to marry the love of his life, Lucie and instead gave his life for her happiness. Sydney thought of himself as a Christ-like figure because of his sacrifice. Carton a foolish hero shows how love for one's cause can cause you to take your own life.

In the wake of being blamed for being a covert operative, he becomes hopelessly enamored with Lucie Manette. Darnay argues for Doctor Manette's favoring in Lucie's grasp in marriage and Doctor Manette gives his assent. Ultimately, Darnay and Lucie get married and have a daughter, this is the best of times for him. Eventually, Darnay was arrested because he was indicted for being an immigrant.

In the novel, A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens uses Sydney Carton’s decision of sacrificing himself for Charles Darnay to establish that forgiveness is unnecessary when it comes to acquiring justice. Dickens skillfully does this by linking Carton’s misinterpreted life and reputation to his final act of dying in place of Darnay, who was one of the main people who greatly misjudged him.

Lucie has given Carton a reason to live but not in the way the reader was hoping for. He promises Lucie he will take his own life to save Lucie’s life and every soul she loves. This promise was unexpected from egotistical Carton. When Darnay is sentenced to death, Carton takes his place, ultimately saving Darnay’s life, and keeping his promise to Lucie. Dickens convinces the readers that individuals are capable of changing, in Carton’s case from self-centered to

Sydney Carton, a dear friend of the Darnays, completely innocent of any crimes, sacrifices himself in Darnay’s place. Darnay is sentenced to execution because of the sins of his family; Carton realizes his opportunity to give Lucie the ultimate gift, her husband’s life. However, he accomplishes this by taking Darnay’s place at the prison. After Darnay makes his escape, carton is brought to the guillotine as the twenty third to be executed. His experience is described, “The murmuring of many voices… many faces... many footsteps… like one great heave of water, all flashes away.

He also adds, “Him, man, with whom I have exchanged you go out at the gate by which you brought me in” (276). Here we see that Sydney Carton has exchanged himself with Charles Darnay, taking his place in the prison of La Force. The first quote foreshadows the second quote because Darnay and Carton are dopplegangers and they make a switch in La Force without anyone knowing. They are successful with the switch because they look so much alike and no one can tell the difference, except the Little Seamstress. The only reason Sydney Carton took Charles Darnay’s place is because Carton loved Lucie and he told her that he would do anything for her, or for anyone she loved.

Like Carton, Darnay wishes to benefit ethically from his class. Darnay abhors his uncle who takes advantage of the peasants, and he wishes to apply his passion and kindness somewhere where his family name will not lead to his downfall. Therefore, he moves to England where “the family honor… is safe from [him]… The family name can suffer from [him] in no other, for [he] bears it in no other” (130). However, he is reduced to a French tutor by occupation, and not a rich man dwelling in the life that requires no physical

Darnay’s imprisonment; and Carton switching places with Darnay, leads To Carton’s Death. The way Carton gets Darnay to switch with him is pretty tricky and sneaky of Carton. First he says I have this letter and I can’t explain why I have it or why you have to follow it you just have to. He has him take off his boots and put on his. Then he tricks him into changing clothes with him, after he knocks him out with a substance he had bought earlier, he tells Barsad to take him away:

When one first thinks about the French Revolution, what comes to mind are often themes of violence, despair, and revenge. However, if one examines the motives behind the revolt, one discovers the underlying themes of sacrifice and love. In Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, the portrayal of the French Revolution includes more underlying themes than just violence and revenge. Different problems throughout the novel were fixed through someone’s selflessness. The use of sacrifice in various situations throughout the novel adds much more emotion and poignancy to the plot and adds to a more powerful and complex ending.

With Carton’s help, Lucie Manette is able to rejoin her love and spend the rest of her life with him. When Charles Darnay is absurdly forced into prison again, Carton talks

They’re lives are interwoven from their first meeting. “They are so like each other in feature, so unlike in manner, both reflected in the glass above them.” In the beginning of the novel, Carton seems to be a foil to Darnay—who reminds Carton of what he could be, but has failed to become—but by the end of the novel, Carton has altered himself from a worthless person to a hero who far transcends the honorable Darnay. In both London and Paris, Carton saves the life of his double, and ultimately sacrifices himself for Darnay, Lucie and their family to

Carton further helps Darnay and implies more of his heroism when he dies for him. Carton’s great love and respect for Lucie holds him to the promise he made to her when he said that he would die for anyone she loved. The sheer act of heroism possessed him to buy the elixir that would cause Darnay to pass out, to switch clothing, and take Darnay’s place in prison. Carton knew that if his plan was discovered, he would be just as dead as Darnay. However, Carton kept in mind his promise and carried it through. At this point in time, Darnay expressed a sense of heroism as well because he was prepared to face his death without fear. Darnay would have