A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Essay Example for Free

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Essay Loyalty and duty is one of the main themes in A Tale of Two Cities. Dickens examines this theme on many different levels, looking at both the loyalty and duty involved in the characters personal relationships and their loyalty to certain causes or beliefs. Many of the characters in the book make great sacrifices due to loyalty on a national level or personal level. Lucie Manette shows great dedication and loyalty to her father, Dr. Manette. Though she once believed she was an orphan, when Lucie meets with her father she is unable to part with him. She looks after him and as the golden thread is able to bring him back to health and lovingly take care of him thereafter. Miss Pross, her nursemaid tells Mr. Lorry how Lucie had to persevere and showed tremendous devotion when she was nursing her father back to health He gets up in the dead of night She hurries to him and they go on together until her love and company have brought him to himself. (p94) She even says she is willing to avert her marriage plans despite her love for Darnay because she loves her father and does not want to leave him If my marriage were so arranged as that it would part us I should be more unhappy and self-reproachful now than I can tell you. (p180) Lucie sees it her duty as a daughter to look after Dr. Manette and throughout the book she demonstrates her loyalty to him She had been true to her duties. She was truest to them in the season of trial, as all the quietly loyal and good always will be. (p264) Lucie also shows loyalty when her husband, Darnay is imprisoned. Throughout his imprisonment, Lucie goes to stand outside the prison for two hours each day hoping that her husband will be able to see her. In all weathers she waited she never missed a single day. She is also loyal to Carton who professes his love for her. She makes sure that he is welcome in her home and that he is treated with respect despite his reputation and bad habits. She tells Darnay to Remember how strong we are in our happiness, and how weak he is in his misery!. At the end of the book Carton sacrifices his life in order to save Darnay. Lucie honours him even after his death by naming her son after him. Darnay himself shows loyalty to his old steward, Gabelle. Gabelle is imprisoned in France due to his relationship with the Evrà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½monde family and he so he writes to Darnay appealing to his Justice, honour, and good name. (p233) Darnays sense of duty and responsibility forbids him to turn his back on Gabelle or on his country. He is unaware of how dangerous it will be for him in Paris and idealistically, he even believes that he may be able to calm some of the violence. Eventually, like a ship may be drawn to the Loadstone Rock, he decides to go to Paris and fulfil what he believes is his duty. Miss Pross is brusque, tough, and fiercely loyal to Lucie, her Ladybird. Mr Lorry admires her for being so humble and for adoring Lucie so much that she would do anything for her. He talks of Miss Pross being One of those unselfish creatures who will, for pure love and admiration, bind themselves willing slaves, (p92) At the beginning of the book, Miss Pross says that she will never go abroad If it was ever intended that I should go across salt water, do you suppose Providence would have cast my lot in an island. (p30). However, when Darnay goes secretly to France and Lucie hears of his imprisonment, Miss Pross accompanies her to France. She overcomes her fear of travelling out of loyalty to Lucie. At the end of the book, Miss Pross shows extreme courage and devotion to Lucie when she faces Madame Defarge to stop her discovering that Lucie is fleeing France. I dont care an English Twopence for myself. I know that the longer I keep you here, the greater hope there is for my Ladybird. (p352) Miss Pross then starts a violent fight with Madame Defarge though she had Never struck a blow in her life and when a pistol accidentally is shot and kills Madame Defarge, Miss Pross is deafened for life. The fight between these two women shows how Miss Pross was stronger in her loyalty to Lucie than Madame Defarge was in her hatred- love, always so much stronger than hate. (p353) Miss Pross also remains loyal to her brother even though he had previously stolen all of her money and left her. She says that Solomon was the one man worthy of Ladybird (p92) and that he Had the makings in him of one of the best and greatest men in his native country. (p284) The revolutionaries in France prove that a new, fairer French republic can only be achieved with heavy and terrible costs. Personal loves and loyalties must be sacrificed for the good of the nation. When Darnay is arrested for the second time, the guard who seizes him reminds Manette that state interests should be held above personal loyalties. If the Republic demands sacrifices from you, without doubt you as a good patriot will be glad to make them. The Republic goes before all. (p281) Defarge shows courage and loyalty to the revolution when he tries to give a petition to the King At the hazard of his life, darted out before the horses with the petition in his hand. (p163) However, Madame Defarge thinks her husband weak when he pities Doctor Manette and does not want Darnay or Lucie to be killed. If it depended on thee- which happily it does not- thou wouldst rescue this man even now. (p326) Dr. Manette is loyal to his dutiful daughter Lucie. Even when Charles tells him that he is part of the French aristocratic family who caused his long imprisonment in the Bastille, he allows Charles to marry her. Though the shock of this discovery causes a relapse of his old mental state, when he recovers he accepts the marriage of Lucie and Charles for his daughters happiness. Mr. Lorry is extremely loyal to Tellsons Bank. He agrees to go to the bank in Paris even in the midst of the revolution to make sure it is safe. If I were not prepared to submit myself to a few inconveniences for the sake of Tellsons, after all these years, who ought to be? (p226) He describes himself as a man of business and even when he is almost eighty years old, he risks his safety and goes to Paris just to ensure the safety of the bank. Jerry Cruncher tells his wife what he thinks is her duty. A mothers first duty is to blow her boy out. Mr. Cruncher does not like his wife praying because he thinks it affects his work as a grave-robber. You have no more natural sense of duty than the bed of this here Themes river has of a pile, (p156) However, he shows loyalty to Mr. Lorry and to the Manettes when he tells Carton that Roger Cly was not dead as he had not been in his grave when he went to dig it up. Cruncher puts his position at risk when he gives away his secret career. The French aristocracy show a lack of duty and loyalty. They treat the people of France extremely badly. When the Marquis St. Evrà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½mondes coach runs over a child he thinks that tossing a coin to the father is enough compensation. Monseneigneur shows no loyalty to his family. When he wanted some money he married his sister to a rich man, treating her like an object rather than a sister. Dr. Manette sees how cruel the Evremendes were when he has to look after the dying lady whom they had taken from her husband on her wedding night. The sacrifice of Sydney Carton is an example of tremendous loyalty to Lucie and her family. Carton loves Lucie so much that he willingly gives up his life to save her husband, Charles Darnay. For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything. Carton single-handedly thinks up a plan and arranges that he replaces Darnay at the guillotine. Cartons love for Lucie eventually makes him a better person, knowing that he will save Darnay radically changes him, For the first time in many years, he had no strong drink. (p324) Even Mr. Lorry notices the change in him His manner was so fervent and inspiring, (p330). For the first time Carton feels like his life may have a purpose and could be useful Of little worth as life is when we misuse it, (p322)Cartons loyalty to Lucie is extremely important for him, in choosing to die for her, Carton not only enables their happiness but also ensures his spiritual rebirth. It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done, it is a far, far b etter rest that I go to than I have ever known. (p361) We can see through all these characters how important loyalty and duty is. For some people like Carton and Miss Pross, it provides a purpose in life. For others such as Dr. Manette, Lucie and Darnay, duty is what they feel is the right thing to do. Overall, Dickens shows us that duty and loyalty can make you a better person and that sometimes sacrifice is necessary to achieve happiness or to produce something good.