A Tale of Two Cities

Name: A Tale of Two Cities
Author: Charles Dickens

A Tale of Two Cities is a novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in the Bastille in Paris and his release to live in London with his daughter Lucie, whom he had never met. The story is set against the conditions that led up to the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. The novel follows several characters, including the heroic Sydney Carton, who sacrifices his own life for Lucie's happiness. The novel also follows the lives of Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat, and his rival, the drunken English lawyer, Sydney Carton. The novel is divided into three books. Book One is set in 1775 and follows the story of Doctor Manette's release from the Bastille and his reunion with Lucie. Book Two is set in 1780 and follows the lives of Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton. Book Three is set in 1792 and follows the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. The novel ends with the death of Sydney Carton and the reunion of Lucie and Charles Darnay in England. The novel is a powerful and moving story of love, sacrifice, and redemption.

By Charles Dickens · First published 1859 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Adventure · 45 chapters · 137,349 words

First lines

The end of the first book. Tellson's Bank by Temple Bar was an old-fashioned place, even in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty. It was very small, very dark, very ugly, very incommodious. It was an old-fashioned place, moreover, in the moral attribute that the partners in the House were proud of its smallness, proud of its darkness, proud of its ugliness, proud of its incommodiousness. They were even boastful of its eminence in those particulars, and were fired by an express conviction that, if it were less objectionable, it would be less respectable. This was no passive belief, but an active weapon which they flashed at more convenient places of business. Tellson's (they said) wanted no elbow-room, Tellson's wanted no light, Tellson's wanted no embellishment. Noakes and Co.'s might, or Snooks Brothers' might; but Tellson's, thank Heaven--!

What this Textopian page supports

A Tale of Two Cities is listed on Textopian as a novel by Charles Dickens, dated 1859 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Charles Dickens
Date: 1859 CE
Language: English
Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Adventure, Drama, Mystery
Length: 137,349 words
Structure: 45 chapters, 4,653 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering A Tale of Two Cities?
How does this novel by Charles Dickens fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Historical Fiction — The novel is set in London and Paris during the time of the French Revolution, and follows the lives of several characters as they are affected by the tumultuous events of the era.
Romance — The novel follows the love stories of several characters, including the star-crossed lovers Lucie Manette and Charles Darnay.
Adventure — The novel follows the adventures of several characters as they travel between London and Paris, and are caught up in the events of the French Revolution.
Drama — The novel follows the dramatic lives of several characters as they are affected by the events of the French Revolution.