Charles Darnay (a.k.a. Charles Evrémonde) Character Analysis in A Tale of Two Cities

Renouncing the terrible sins of his family, the Evrémondes, Charles abandons his position in the French aristocracy to make his own way in England. Charles believes in the revolutionary ideal of liberty, but is not a radical revolutionary. Instead, he represents a rational middle ground between the self-satisfied exploitation practiced by the old aristocracy and the murderous rage exhibited by the revolutionaries. Charles has a heroic sense of justice and obligation, as shown when he arranges to provide for the oppressed French peasantry, and later endangers himself in coming to Gabelle's aid. However, Charles is also deluded in thinking he can divert the force of history and change the Revolution for the better. Similarly, Charles constantly overlooks Sydney Carton's potential and must learn from his wife, Lucie, to have faith in Carton. Charles represents an imperfect but virtuous humanity in whose future we must trust.

Charles Darnay (a.k.a. Charles Evrémonde) Quotes in A Tale of Two Cities

The A Tale of Two Cities quotes below are all either spoken by Charles Darnay (a.k.a. Charles Evrémonde) or refer to Charles Darnay (a.k.a. Charles Evrémonde). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

"Repression is the only lasting philosophy. The dark deference of fear and slavery, my friend," observed the Marquis, "will keep the dogs obedient to the whip, as long as this roof," looking up to it, "shuts out the sky."

Related Characters: (speaker),

Page Number and Citation: 128

Explanation and Analysis:

He had loved Lucie Manette from the hour of his danger. He had never heard a sound so sweet and dear as the sound of her compassionate voice; he had never seen a face so tenderly beautiful, as hers when it was confronted with his own on the edge of the grave that had been dug for him.

Related Characters: ,

Page Number and Citation: 135

Explanation and Analysis:

My husband, it is so. I fear he is not to be reclaimed; there is scarcely a hope that anything in his character or fortunes is reparable now. But, I am sure that he is capable of good things, gentle things, even magnanimous things.

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Page Number and Citation: 217

Explanation and Analysis:

Like the mariner in the old story, the winds and streams had driven him within the influence of the Loadstone Rock, and it was drawing him to itself, and he must go. Everything that arose before his mind drifted him on, faster and faster, more and more steadily, to the terrible attraction. His latent uneasiness had been … that he who could not fail to know that he was better than they, was not there, trying to do something to stay bloodshed, and assert the claims of mercy and humanity.

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Related Literary Devices:

Page Number and Citation: 252

Explanation and Analysis:

Not a mean village closed upon him, not a common barrier dropped across the road behind him, but he knew it to be another iron door in the series that was barred between him and England. The universal watchfulness so encompassed him, that if he had been taken in a net, or were being forwarded to his destination in a cage, he could not have felt his freedom more completely gone.

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Related Literary Devices:

Page Number and Citation: 255

Explanation and Analysis:

Looking at the Jury and the turbulent audience, he might have thought that the usual order of things was reversed, and that the felons were trying the honest men.

Related Characters:

Page Number and Citation: 292

Explanation and Analysis:

Charles Darnay (a.k.a. Charles Evrémonde) Character Timeline in A Tale of Two Cities

The timeline below shows where the character Charles Darnay (a.k.a. Charles Evrémonde) appears in A Tale of Two Cities. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...await Mr. Lorry's orders at the Old Bailey Courthouse, where a handsome young gentleman named Charles Darnay stands accused of treason. Jerry enters the court and pushes through the crowd gathered... (full context)

Charles, who stands accused of being a French spy, is defended by two lawyers: Mr. Stryver... (full context)

The Attorney General prosecuting the case demands that the jury sentence Charles to death. He calls a witness, the "unimpeachable patriot" John Barsad, whose testimony implicates Charles... (full context)

Later, while Mr. Stryver is unsuccessfully cross-examining a witness who has been called to identify Charles, Carton hands Stryver a note. After reading from the note, Stryver forces the court to... (full context)

After the trial, Charles kisses Lucie's hands in gratitude and thanks Stryver for his help. Dr. Manette is now... (full context)

...the shadows. His shabby clothes and impertinent manners offend Mr. Lorry, who departs. Carton and Charles go out to dinner at a tavern, where Carton slyly asks Charles whether being tried... (full context)

After leaving the tavern where he dined with Charles, Carton joins Stryver in his apartment. To stay awake, he wraps a wet towel around... (full context)

Lucie and Manette return. Charles arrives to visit moments later. Charles tells them of his recent trip to the Tower... (full context)

At his luxurious castle, the Marquis Evrémonde waits for the arrival of his nephew, Charles Evrémonde (a.k.a. Charles Darnay) from London. Charles explains he has been questing for a "sacred... (full context)

Charles responds that the Evrémondes have lost their family honor by injuring anyone who stood between... (full context)

A year passes. Charles now makes a passable living in London as a French teacher. Charles visits Dr. Manette.... (full context)

Charles thanks Dr. Manette for his confidence in him, and wants to return the favor by... (full context)

...that Defarge was once Dr. Manette's servant, he mentions that Lucie is now married to Charles Darnay—who is in reality the nephew of the Marquis Evrémonde. After watching the impact of... (full context)

Defarge is in disbelief. He feels a deep anxiety when Madame Defarge adds Charles's name to her knitting. (full context)

Lucie spends the last night before her wedding to Charles with her father. She asks Dr. Manette if he believes that her marriage will bring... (full context)

On the day of the wedding, Charles Darnay and Dr. Manette speak privately. When they emerge, Mr. Lorry notices that Manette looks... (full context)

After the wedding, Charles and Lucie leave for their honeymoon in Wales. The plan is for Dr. Manette to... (full context)

The first person to visit Lucie and Charles after they return from their honeymoon is Sydney Carton. Carton apologizes for his drunkenness during... (full context)

At dinner that night, Charles comments to Lucie, Manette, Mr. Lorry, and Miss Pross about Carton's careless and reckless behavior.... (full context)

In the year 1789, distressing "echoes" arrive from France. Mr. Lorry confides in Charles that the Paris office of Tellson's Bank has been flooded with anxious aristocrats trying to... (full context)

Inside the bank, Charles is trying to talk Mr. Lorry out of his latest mission: going to the Paris... (full context)

...Gabelle. He was arrested, brought to Paris, and charged with treason for helping an emigrant, Charles Evrémonde. Gabelle writes that the peasants neither know nor care that he in fact was... (full context)

Charles realizes that he must go to Paris. His sense of justice obliges him to help... (full context)

Charles gives Mr. Lorry a reply to send to Gabelle: Evrémonde will come. Charles packs secretly,... (full context)

Charles arrives in France and finds things very different from when he left. At each village... (full context)

Three soldiers accompany Charles to Paris as his "escort." Upon arriving in Paris, they deliver Charles—whom they now call... (full context)

Defarge conducts Charles to the prison of La Force with a note for the jailor saying "In secret."... (full context)

...is stunned when Lucie and Dr. Manette rush in. They left London immediately after reading Charles's letters. Dr. Manette's fame as a Bastille prisoner has granted him access and information, and... (full context)

In the apartment, Lucie reads the note from Charles: he is fine, and under Dr. Manette's protection. She gratefully kisses one of Madame Defarge's... (full context)

...defenseless prisoners have been murdered, convicted by a self-appointed Tribunal. The Tribunal also nearly condemned Charles to death, but Dr. Manette was able to sway the crowd and Charles was returned... (full context)

...his newfound authority. He believes his suffering has become strength and power, capable of breaking Charles out of prison. Having earned the respect of the revolutionaries, he has been made the... (full context)

...normal English household to relieve her mind. Dr. Manette reassures her that he can save Charles. He suggests that she walk near the prison at a place where Charles might see... (full context)

Moments later, Dr. Manette appears. He tells Lucie that Charles's trial will be held tomorrow, and promises her that all will work out well. Lucie... (full context)

A rowdy, bloodthirsty crowd gathers for the trial of "Charles Evrémonde, called Darnay." Defarge and Madame Defarge sit in the front row. Madame Defarge is... (full context)

In his testimony, Charles explains that he actually isn't an emigrant: he gave up his aristocratic title and property,... (full context)

...who had been forgotten in prison before the trial, takes the witness stand and confirms Charles's story. Then Dr. Manette testifies, praising Charles's character and republican ideals. (full context)

The jury votes to acquit Charles. The boisterous crowd now celebrates Charles as a patriot and carries him through the streets... (full context)

When she sees Charles, Lucie faints with joy. In their apartment, she thanks God, then her father, who declares,... (full context)

...Then there is a knock at the door. Four armed revolutionaries enter and declare that Charles Evrémonde is again the prisoner of the Republic. (full context)

...arrived in Paris a day earlier, Carton explains, Carton chanced upon and recognized Barsad from Charles Darnay's English trial. Carton also learned that Barsad was serving as a French government spy... (full context)

After a while, Barsad leaves and Carton explains to Mr. Lorry that if Charles is convicted, Barsad will smuggle Carton into Charles's cell. Refusing to explain anything more, Carton... (full context)

Carton arrives at the courthouse the next morning for Charles's trial, where Jacques Three is the head of the jury. As the trial begins, the... (full context)

...two men, identical twins. From their coat of arms, he learned that they were Evrémondes: Charles's father (who was then the Marquis) and his uncle (who became the Marquis after Charles's... (full context)

The next day, the wife of the Marquis (and Charles's mother) visited Dr. Manette. Hearing what had happened, she hoped to find and help the... (full context)

Incensed at the actions of the Evrémondes, the jury sentences Charles to death. The crowd goes wild. (full context)

As the crowd celebrates Charles's conviction in the streets, John Barsad, who is escorting Charles back to his cell, lets... (full context)

Devastated, Dr. Manette tries to apologize to Charles. But Charles stops him, and instead thanks him, acknowledging all that Dr. Manette must have... (full context)

...home. There, he instructs Dr. Manette to use any remaining influence to try to save Charles. Dr. Manette hurries away. However, once he's gone, Carton and Mr. Lorry confess they have... (full context)

...a wine shop—Defarge's wine shop. Defarge and Madame Defarge marvel at his physical resemblance to Charles, but have no idea who he is. (full context)

In the prison, 52 people, including Charles, await execution that day. Charles writes a final letter to Lucie, in which he says... (full context)

Suddenly John Barsad opens the cell door and lets in Carton. Carton tells Charles to start changing clothes with him. Then Carton dictates a letter for Charles to write,... (full context)

As Charles writes, Carton waves the packet of drugs under his nose. Charles passes out. Carton finishes... (full context)

Soon the guards arrive and take Carton, whom they think is Charles Evrémonde, out to join the other condemned prisoners. A young woman, who was wrongly accused... (full context)

...to the guillotine. Some onlookers, used to the spectacle, are bored. Others gather to see Charles Evrémonde and insult him. (full context)

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Charles Darnay (a.k.a. Charles Evrémonde) Character Analysis

Charles Darnay (a.k.a. Charles Evrémonde) Quotes in A Tale of Two Cities

Charles Darnay (a.k.a. Charles Evrémonde) Character Timeline in A Tale of Two Cities

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for every book you read.