Throughout time literary works have seen reoccurring characters, settings, symbols, and storylines (called archetypes) that represent universal patterns of human nature. Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities is no exception to that pattern. His literary elements fall into many of the different archetype categories which allow his works to be widely connected with and understood over many diverse places and time periods. However his use of allusions can put present day readers at a disadvantage if they fail to posses the knowledge to catch his references.
When observing character archetypes, Lucie Manette is one that corresponds to the “Innocent” archetype. She is inexperienced in the real world and will seek safety with others. In the novel we see her portrayed as a typical Victorian heroine; she is beautiful, gentle, compassionate, patient, and submissive. Lucie continuously looks for the good in all people, like Carton, and believes all people are honorable at heart, which can be seen in her appeals Madam Defarge’s humanity, "I implore you to have pity on me and not to exercise any power that you possess against my innocent husband, but to use it in his behalf. O sister-woman, think of me. As a wife and mother!” (Dickens 338). By having Lucie fit the archetype of the “Innocent”, Dickens creates a female figure, who in his era, would have been someone girls aspired to be and men aspired to meet. She is effective in keeping the story light with her child-like innocence and consistent compassion throughout the book.
Sydney Carton is one of Dickens’ most complex characters in this novel, so unsurprisingly it is hard to match him to just one archetype. At first you would be tempted to cast him as the “Loner”, always by himself and rarely showing any desire of interacting with others. As the novel progresses we begin to learn more about Carton and how he believes he is destined to suffer along with his pessimistic outlook on the world around him. All of this would lead us to think of him as the “Victim”, however I feel the archetype that fits Carton best is that of the “Martyr”. In the end he sacrifices himself for love and finds his purpose of life in dying for Lucie’s happiness. By evolving his portrayal of Carton as the novel progresses, Dickens is able to build the readers sympathy for Carton’s death as the full extent of his tortured soul is revealed. Having a character willing to lose it all for love, even when he feels unworthy, draws the audience in and creates a deeper bond between the reader and the story.
Charles Darnay is portrayed in this book as the classic protagonist archetype of “Hero”. While Darnay gets captured on his quest to free Gabelle from prison, he is still cast as a “Hero” because as Tami Cowden says about archetypes, “what the character does is not the defining element. The defining element is WHY the character does what he does” (www.tamicowden.com). The why behind Darnay’s actions are often based on nobel and selfless reasons which is how he is classified as a “Hero”. Compared to Carton, Darnay’s character development is stagnant, remaining relatively the same throughout the story. From the beginning we are shown his dignified and honorable traits that help to identify him as the “Hero”. Having a hero that the reader can depend on and root for during the story causes the reader to have more personal interest and investment in the narrative.
Dickens uses allusions almost immediately by referencing “Mrs. Southcout… a prophetic private… and the Cock-lane ghost” all in the opening chapter. In modern America, you would be hard pressed to find someone who knows all three of these references without having to look them up, but when Dickens was writing, his audience would have not only understood but appreciated the references. In this instance the allusions are used to set up the scene and give the audience a little bit of background as to where the story is picking up. While these allusions help to inform they also connect the audience to Dickens because they now feel included in the story knowing that the author has similar experiences and is relatable.
Before reading A Tale of Two Cities I had some basic knowledge on the French Revolution, but not any sort of in-depth understanding. While reading the book I realized that to fully comprehend the plight of the characters I would need to learn more about the time period. This knowledge soon became useful to me while reading, like in Chapter 21 when the Defarges’ lead a charge on Bastille, I was able to recall that Bastille Day is still celebrated today and commemorates the beginning of the French Revolution. When Dickens was writing his novel, his audience would have no trouble following the allusion to Bastille Day and other French Revolution occurrences, however today readers might need some prior background knowledge before reading.
Archetypes are able to link together different generations, different geographical locations, and even fiction and reality through their universal themes. Allusions, while more specific to the time period and place, can be a useful tool to give context and make readers feel included. Using both provides a simultaneously timeless and current reading experience.
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