| A Tale of Two Cities has been regarded by many critics as the least Dickensian one among all Dickens's masterpieces. Some critics even considered the novel a failure that should be outside the Dickens canon. According to Dickens himself, however, the novel is his experiment and the emphasis on structure has produced something that can best represent his new effort. This thesis sets its starting point in analyzing the structure of A Tale of Two Cities, but goes much further than this. It attempts to discover Dickens's philosophy of history through reading this novel. With the eighteenth-century French Revolution as its grand historical setting, A Tale of Two Cities embodies more than any other Dickens's novel the author's deep concern for the historical movement. Based upon previous studies, the thesis further expounds the close relationship between the characterization, the structure, and the historical theme of A Tale of Two Cities, trying to argue that Dickens's perception of history is represented in the characterization and narrative design of the novel.The Introduction offers a brief review of literature on the studies previously done by other critics, the analysis of which leads to arguments that this thesis attempts to fulfill.Chapter One examines the duality of the structure of A Tale of Two Cities. The text is full of doublings which make the story look like always unfolding around two foci. The relationship between these doublings becomes a constant concern of Dickens who depicts these doublings as both contradictory and interdependent. The two foci keep a subtle distance, neither totally separating from each other nor merging into one. The most significant doublings are London and Paris which have functioned not only as the historical stage of the story but also as participants and actors in the story. Therefore, the two cities should be established as major characters of the novel rather than mere settings. This also explains why Dickens finally named the novel A Tale of Two Cities.Based on the discussion in the first chapter, Chapter Two probes deeper into the structure of the novel, and illustrates how it presents the shape of an oval cycle which implies Dickens's perception of the historical rule and process. Though first published in serial form, A Tale of Two Cities possesses a structure surprisingly tight and intact. Its plot does not develop along a straight linear track as most installment literature does, but 'travelfs] in a circle' and '[as drawing] closer and closer to the end ... [it comes] nearer and nearer to the beginning' (Dickens, 1970: 340). Moreover, numerous repetitions also suggest the cyclic narrative design, including the repetitions of words, images, plots, and even characters' fate. This design feature, combined with the 'two foci' illustrated in the first chapter, is able to produce an oval orbit which properly conforms to the Dickensian cyclic track of history.The third chapter further studies the portrayal of the oval design so as to display Dickens's philosophy of history. An oval orbit alone does not show all about Dickens's view of history. According to him, the mechanical repetition of history is a tragic cycle full of corruption and violence, oppression and revenge, but this process is not necessarily inevitable and pessimistic. With a strong humanitarian sentimentality, Dickens offers the strength of morality as a remedy, prescribing love and conscience as a way out of the tragic cycle. Therefore, he leaves the oval orbit unclosed and allows people to advance toward the heavenly city in spirals.The last part is the conclusion. It further elaborates the historical settings, the contemporary background and the historical theme of A Tale of Two Cities, and finally offers a summary of Dickens's philosophy of history, as well as pointing out its significance to the national spirit of the Victorian Age. |
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