1、英国文学作业 英文 0901 班 蓝李鸿 学号 20091120 1Support Revolution but Oppose ViolenceCharles Dickens Attitudes toward French Revolution in A Tale of Two CitiesIntroductionA Tale of Two Cities depicts the plight of the French peasantry demoralized by the French aristocracy in the years leading up to the revolutio
2、n, the corresponding brutality demonstrated by the revolutionaries toward the former aristocrats in the early years of the revolution, and many unflattering social parallels with life in London during the same time period(Wikipedia, 2011). With the French Revolution as background, it exposes Charles
3、 Dickens views toward this revolution.In the novel, on one hand, Dickens views the French Revolution as inevitable. He sympathizes with the poor and he also criticizes the ruling classes cruelty inflicted upon the poor. Dickens thinks that “Monseigneur as a class had，somehow or other, brought things
4、 to this” (Dickens 1979: 267) However, on the other hand, with the increasing of violence, Dickens strongly opposes the inhuman actions. This thesis is to explore Dickens attitudes in A Tale of Two Cities toward French Revolutionto support revolution but to oppose violence. . Conflicts between the A
5、ristocracies and the PoorAt first, Dickens supports the revolution because of the fierce conflicts between the aristocracies and the poor. The reasons why the French Revolution broke out are various but the conflicts between the Aristocracies and the poor is one of the most important factors (Glancy
6、 1991). In the novel, Dickens vividly describes how the poor rise up against the oppression. In Dickens eyes, the poor are the heroes and saviors of the French Revolution. He sympathizes with them for the unfairness they have suffered and he expresses his great admiration for the courage and enthusi
7、asm the poor have showed at the beginning of the revolution. Thus, Dickens believes that the poor peoples rebellion is inevitable and revolution is a necessity. In A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens clearly portrays the huge gaps between the aristocracies and the poor. Readers can find how luxurious the
8、Monseigneurs life is in Chapter Seven, Monseigneur in Town“His mornings chocolate would not so much as get into the throat of Monseigneur, without the aid of four strong men besides the CookMonseigneur had the other truly noble idea, that the world was made for them.” (Dickens 1979: 122) However, th
9、e poor peasants lead a hard life. Dickens describes the scene when the poor compete to drink the wine on the road“Some men knelt down. Others，men and women，dipped in the puddles with little 英国文学作业 英文 0901 班 蓝李鸿 学号 20091120 2mugs of mutilated earthenware, or even with handkerchiefs from womens head.”
10、 (Dickens 1979: 35) One can see many other examples of the contrast of life and wealth between the aristocracies and the poor. When the poor could not tolerate the oppression they received any more, they are sure to fight against their suffering. Unfortunately, the aristocracies are still indifferen
11、t about the poor. They treat the poor as if they were not human beings but animals. The Marquis is the representative of the cruelty of the aristocracies. According to the novel, when the Marquiss coach runs over a poor boy in the street, he only throws a coin to the father and scorns the poor “as i
12、f they been mere rats come out of their holes.” (Dicknes 1979: 12) In this case, one can understand the fierce conflicts between the aristocracies and the poor. Thus, Dickens supports revolution because he is aware that the revolution will be a road for the poor to get hope, justice and happiness in
13、 the future. . The Fierce and Bloody RevengeAs a bourgeois humanitarian，Dickens possesses all ambivalent attitude toward the French Revolution and the revolutionaries(Goldbery 1972). The aristocracies oppression is one of the reasons that lead to the French Revolution, so Dickens shows his great sym
14、pathy for the poor and he supports the revolution. However, after overthrowing the merciless ruling class, the revolutionaries became brutal just like those aristocracies. In the process of the French Revolution, the revolutionaries, especially the women, gradually become more and more cruel and cra
15、zy. The fact that they start to enjoy blood and death is intolerable to Dickens. He believes that the fierce and bloody revenge will lead to a catastrophic result. In A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens depicts Madame Defarge as the representative of the avengers. She strongly hates the aristocracies beca
16、use her family was killed by the Evremondes. Before the revolution, she is described as a woman with wisdom and strategy. However, later she becomes a ghost of vengeance. When she determines to kill Lucie Manette and her daughter, she “pursuing her way along the streets, came nearer and nearer” (Dic
17、kens 1979: 456). Here Dickens stresses the tension to inform that Madame Defarge has been a real killing machine when she makes up her mind to avenge her family. However, Dickens will not allow such a cruel action to happen due to his rejection to the fierce violence and bloody revenge, so in the en
18、d he intentionally designs her death under her own gun. This arrangement implies his attitude toward the violence in the revolution. Through the miserable result of Madame Defarge, Dickens wants to impress his readers about the fears and horrors of the revolutionaries bloody revenge. He thinks the f
19、ierce and bloody revenge will result in nothing but a vicious circle. Thats the first reason why Dickens opposes violence in the French Revolution.英国文学作业 英文 0901 班 蓝李鸿 学号 20091120 3. Dehumanization becoming the Common FeaturesThe second reason why Dickens opposes violence is that with the developmen
20、t of the revolution, dehumanization becomes the common features. Readers can clearly see it from the description of some aristocracies death. Take Foulons death for example, in the novel, Foulon is described as follows: “Down, and up, and head foremost on the steps of the building; now, on his knees
21、; now, on his feet; now, on his back; dragged, and struck at, and stifled by the bunches of grass and straw that were thrust into his face by hundreds of hands.” (Dickens 1979: 279) It can be seen that when Dickens describes the murder of Foulon, he shows his disgust with the dehumanization due to t
22、he people stuff grass into Foulons mouth just because he once said that the poor could eat grass. So Dickens regards this kind of revolution as nothing but a distortion of humanity. Another example is Darnays trial. At his trial, Jacques Three , one of the jurors, is described as a cannibal-looking
23、and life-thirsting man. From the two words “cannibal-looking” and “life-thirsting”, one can see that the revolutionaries are like animals and they have become inhuman and cold-hearted. In Dickens mind, the storming of the Bastille prison is a good beginning for the poor to change the inequality and
24、oppression of the society, however, what the revolution brings is similar to those before the revolution. The revolutionaries establish a new prison called La Force to imprison the old aristocracies and kill them in an inhuman way. So the new prison is just the substitution of the old one. In Dicken
25、s point of view, the revolution is not in line with human action. It is obvious that the revolutionaries have become unfeeling and wild beasts. Although Dickens is aware that the aristocracies oppression to the poor leads to the rebellion, he is much more worried that the France will change nothing
26、in the future under the cruel rule of the revolutionaries. ConclusionA Tale of Two Cities condemns the ruthless dominance of the upper class by describing the conflicts between the aristocracies and the poor. Dickens believes that the intensification of the conflicts definitely results in the revolu
27、tion, so he supports revolution to change the society. However, as the revolution only leads to bloody revenge and dehumanization, he opposes solving the social problems by violent revolution. In a word, Dickens believes that revolution is inevitable, but violent revolution is not the way out of the
28、 dark. Bibliography英国文学作业 英文 0901 班 蓝李鸿 学号 20091120 41. A Tale of Two Cities-Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 1, 2012, from http:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Tale_of_Two_Cities2. Collins, P. (2008). Charles Dickens: the Critical Heritage. London: Routledge.3. Dickens, C. (1979). A Tale of Two Cities. London: Longman.4. Glancy, R. (1991). A Tale of Two Cities: Dickenss Revolutionary Novel. Boston: Twayne.5. Goldbery, M. (1972). Carlyle and Dickens. Athens: University of Georgia Press.
