Will Charles Ever Be Saved From the Evremonde Name?

Charles Dickens narrates his novel called A Tale Of Two Cities in the time of the French Revolution. During this period, Madame Defarge, a lady of lower class seeks revenge on the last surviving Evremonde member, Charles Darnay. Madame Defarge holds Charles Darnay responsible for the terrible events that his relatives engaged in, by using the French Revolution in an attempt to destroy a man of good nature.

Charles Darnay`s father and Uncle were wealthy noble men that took liberty in creating poverty for the French peasants. The family name is Evremonde, and the two brothers’ were overly self-indulgent and completely indifferent to the lives of the peasants whom they exploited. When Charles was a toddler, his father and uncle abused and killed Madame Defarge`s family, leaving her as the hidden survivor to grow up with hatred and vengeance towards this name. Unfortunately, the Evremonde brothers took a claim to Madame’s unwilling sister making her and her family victims to these ruthless men. Tied down and raped, the girl was left distraught and helpless to her dying family. The lady’s husband was worked to death and her father died of a broken heart, leaving her brother to hide Madame Defarge and return to fight Charles’s father who skillfully killed the young lad. Doctor Manette, who was called to assess these suffering bodies in their last moments of life, witnesses this event. It is hard to believe that the two Evremonde brothers had humane sympathy for their victims or possibly other reasons to why they exposed themselves to the Doctor. This kind of knowledge was very discriminating to the Evremonde family, and very disturbing to the Doctor who tried to expose the brothers’ crime. Without success in exposing the brother’s, the Doctor was imprisoned for life by the aid of the Evremonde power, and was only able to write a journal of the event and hoped that someday somebody would read it.

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Doctor Manette spent eighteen years in prison, isolated from the world, condemned to silence, and bewildered about a daughter that he never knew existed. Lucie Manette was her father’s savior: who freed him from a conviction by their “native France” that was so “wicked” to him (41). This treatment was enforced by the Evremonde brothers’ and unfair. When Doctor Manette was questioned about his identity, he believed that he was a shoemaker in 105 North Tower, so with great care and compassion his daughter was able to revive her father back to a normal life. Although “one external cause…without any apparent reason could easily evoke this condition from the depths of his souls,” (71) where he would pace for endless hours through the night. As time went by for the Manette family, Doctor Manette’s post traumatic stress syndrome improved, and Lucie’s happiness was now the Doctor’s main concern.

As for Madame Defarge her sufferings are left unknown in the novel, except for her description and behavior are cold and heartless. Madame Defarge impatiently awaits Charles Darnay’s execution in France where he will be tried, she is aware of Charles’ false name and his marriage to the respected Doctor Manettes’s daughter. The Madame dismissed Doctor Manette’s approval of the marriage temporarily, she assumes the Doctor has an absent mind and plans to reveal Charles in a trial for his life with the Doctor’s journal. This information would not be new to the Doctor, for he is aware of Charles’ real identity, which set the Doctor back into another relapse. Successfully Doctor Manette overcame the shock, and confidently kept the disturbing news hidden, because he could see the shame Charles had of his Evremonde name, and how he rejected his family’s life style, and inheritance. Madame Defarge plans to use Doctor Manette’s journal that will condemn Charles to death, although he has never exploited anyone. This transformation in the Evremonde family means nothing to Madame Defarge; she is out for revenge and destroying a meaningful life means nothing to her “vengeance.” Although Madame Defarge may not seem to gain any real satisfaction from her vengeance, she is determined to hold Charles responsible for the horrific events his dead relatives committed.

With Charles’s fate resting upon the French Revolution, the justice system seems to be unfavorable to him and the Manettes. The accusations hold Charles responsible for such a catastrophic event that will end with his head cut off. Yes, it is obvious the Evremonde brothers committed the crime, and Madame Defrage, and Doctor Manette are the surviving victims. However, does it necessarily have to be a vicious circle of vengeance, where now Lucie has to be widowed and Charles has to be punished for a crime that he never committed? Apparently not, because a close savior figure that became good friends with the family wanted nothing but happiness for Lucie, so he switched places with Charles, and dies for him. Blessed with luck, Charles became one very fortunate man having his life back, and should honor the man that saved him for generations to come.