A Tale of Two CitiesAfter eighteen years as a political prisoner in the Bastille, the ageing Doctor Manette is finally released and reunited with his daughter in England. There the lives of two very different men, Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat, and Sydney Carton, a disreputable but brilliant English lawyer, become enmeshed through their love for Lucie Manette. From the tranquil roads of London, they are drawn against their will to the vengeful, bloodstained streets of Paris at the height of the Reign of Terror, and they soon fall under the lethal shadow of La Guillotine. This edition uses the text as it appeared in its first serial publication in 1859 to convey the full scope of Dickens's vision, and includes the original illustrations by H. K. Browne ('Phiz'). Richard Maxwell's introduction discusses the intricate interweaving of epic drama with personal tragedy. Book jacket. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Alexandre Manette answered asked Barsad Bastille breast brother brother Solomon carriage Charles Darnay château child citizen coach Conciergerie corner courtyard cried Cruncher dark daughter dead dear Dickens Doctor Manette door dreadful Evrémonde eyes face father Fleet Street fountain France French gentleman gone Guillotine hair hand head heart hope horses hour husband Jacques Three knew knitting light live looked Lorry's Lucie Lucie Manette Madame Defarge manner mender of roads mind Miss Manette Miss Pross Monseigneur Monsieur Defarge Monsieur the Marquis never night Old Bailey opened Paris passed poor prisoner returned Saint Antoine seen shadow Soho stone stood stopped streets struck Stryver Sydney Carton tell Tellson's Temple Bar things tion took touch tumbrils turned Vengeance voice walked wife window wine woman words Young Jerry