The Role of Mythology in A Tale of Two Cities

A bilgewater of Two Cities by Charles daemon is one of the more or less debated and criticized sassys of his c argonr. This novel was produced in Dickens transition stage and is considered to be trivial, poorly written, and structured. Dickens would go on to write Great Expectations and Our Mutual Friends. These novels were highlights in the passel of his work and continue, today, to inspire authors and readers. A close reading of A Tale of Two Cities reveals a number of intricacies and themes which are overlooked during the initial reading.One of the intimately participationing of these motifs is the present of myth and more specifically the extremes of human nature. Dickens, in A Tale of Two Cities uses mythology, dupli urban center of the motherly matriarch, and symbolism to conclusion the universal human experience of well behaved versus evil. Setting is of incredible magnificence in A Tale of Two Cities and takes place in the cities of capital of the United Kingdom and Paris. It is London which is represented as the hub of new thought and freedom. London contrasts strikingly with Paris which is overrun by the cruel aristocracy.It is at bottom Dickens articulate and lustrous descriptions of some(prenominal) cities that the true them of this novel is revealed. This can been seen in the opening dialog of the book which shows images of Light/Darkness, Heaven/Hell, good/evil (1). Each city represents an extreme, good or evil, that has existed in the world since the beginning of time. This duplicity is proceed in the two pistillate characters by which much of the action within the novel is inspired. Lucie Manette and Madame Defarge are female characters that represent one of the two motherly matriarchs.Lucie Manette is benevolence personified and her double, Madame Defarge is malevolent. It is the scramble between these two women which brings about the good and crappy that occur in the story. Just as this universal conflict has brought count erchange throughout history. Dickens uses two specific mythologic imagery to entertain this motif weaving and knit. In the title of the second book, The Golden Thread, is when Lucie becomes associated with with weaving. Lucie is give tongue to to have aureate hair and is the thread which holds her family together.She is dedicated to the greater good of her family and society. She nurtures all the people in her life and through this profound load she brings about one of the greatest transformation in literature. Carton begins this novel as an indolence and indifferent man with no direction and no values. However, through the love of Lucie he finds his purpose in life and dies a hero who will forever be embedded in the hearts and minds of those he died for. She nurses her father back to health both mentally and spiritually.She is eventually responsible for creating a new country, building France into a strong soil with is based not on oppression but the open communion of idea s and the inclusion of all people. Weaving has always been associated with women, throughout history. It is implied that women weave the electronic network of life. The Fates, the sisters who were said to determine fate in mythology were weavers and Dickens does a good assembly line of making the parallel to good mothers like Isis and Demeter, The second extreme of female matriarchs is that of Madame Defrage. She does not weave but she does knit.She wishes not to nurture but to destroy. Madame Defrage knits a list of the people she thinks should die when the new powers are established in France. She is so dedicated to the cause that she wants to win at any cost. She is associated with The Furies from mythology who were women who apply tortures to condemned souls. They were associated with vengeance and The Furies are personified in Madame Defrage. Through the characters of Lucie and Madame Defrage Dickens links universal struggle of good and evil, and mythological matriarchs thro ugh imagery.Lucie and her weaving is associated with light, life, and warmth. While Madame Defrage and her knitting are associated with darkness, death, and revenge. Through the integration of these images Dickens makes A Tale of Two Cities not entirely a novel for entertainment but a real literary work which takes on one of the most universal themes known to mankind. I agree with this criticism. One of the first things I noticed was the mythological hints within the text. Madame Defrage is definitely evil and this is represented in her knitting.Knitting involves cutting, pointing, and tearing. The fingers of the knitting women were vicious, with the experience that they could tear (220). Madame Defrage even yells at her husband because he feels graciousness toward to Lucie. Lucie is again and again seen as good. Ever busily winding the golden thread that bound them together, weaving the service of her happy influence through the tissue of all their lives, and making it predominat e nowhere, Lucie heard in the echoes of age none but friendly and soothing sounds (209). During Darnays trial Lucie is seen as a golden angel.I think that critics were extremely hard on Dickens for this novel. It was a book that was overlooked for many years as being hard written, poorly structured, and a literature for the masses. However, as you can see, after you authentically take the time to read and reading the text there are several complex themes and motifs that Dickens takes on in a very subtle way. Perhaps Dickens wanted a novel that was both fun and also profound. He was comfortable enough with his writing skills to understand that for his messages to get across to the reader that he must first interest the reader.