A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities

by

Charles Dickens

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A Tale of Two Cities Symbols

Wine

Defarge's wine shop lies at the center of revolutionary Paris, and throughout the novel wine symbolizes the Revolution's intoxicating power. Drunk on power, the revolutionaries change from freedom fighters into wild savages dancing in… read analysis of Wine

Knitting and the Golden Thread

In classical mythology, three sister gods called the Fates controlled the threads of human lives. A Tale of Two Cities adapts the classical Fates in two ways. As she knits the names of her enemies… read analysis of Knitting and the Golden Thread

Guillotine

The guillotine, a machine designed to behead its victims, is one of the enduring symbols of the French Revolution. In Tale of Two Cities, the guillotine symbolizes how revolutionary chaos gets institutionalized. With… read analysis of Guillotine

Shoes and Footsteps

At her London home, Lucie hears the echoes of all the footsteps coming into their lives. These footsteps symbolize fate. Dr. Manette makes shoes in his madness. Notably, he always makes shoes in response to… read analysis of Shoes and Footsteps