A Tale of Two Cities Summary

A Tale of Two Cities Summary Following a society set in the late 1700’s, â€Å"A Tale of Two Cities† bases its plot on the pre-revolutionary and revolutionary circumstances that plagued France and England. The book has many plots and sub-plots, but it mainly follows the life of Charles Darnay as he lives in this era. Charles Darnay, nephew of the cruel Marquis Evremonde, is on trial in Britain for treason. He is about to be executed but then in released on account of Sydney Carton, a worthless drunk.Carton states to the jury his resemblance to Darney, convincing the jury that they got the wrong man. Meanwhile in France the conditions for its citizens and the poverty level worsens every moment. While the poor are on the streets, aristocrats are, though, richer that ever. As the Marquis Evremonde was in his carriage in France he ran over a peasant child. Because of this, and because of the overall cruelty of the aristocracy in France Darnay renounces to his family in Fran ce and moves back to England.That same night Marquis is murdered under the note â€Å"Jacques†. A year goes by and Darnay asks to marry Manette’s daughter Lucie in exchange for him to reveal his true identity. Manette in 1775 had been imprisoned and had their developed an obsession with shoe making which he had learned how to do in jail. Carton also proposes but knows he will not be allowed to marry her because of his low lifestyle and bad reputation. As the poverty situation gets worse, the Defarges, a family that had once served Manette, were taking part in planning the new revolution.In 1789 Bastille is stormed and what is now known as the French Revolution begins. Rich aristocrats are murdered and Darnay is imprisoned for helping a servant of the Evremonde. Lucie and Manettle save him but he is arrested again because of new charges from the Defarges. At the trial Defarge presents a letter which explained the reason for Manettes imprisonments. He had been asked to t ake care of a woman who had been raped, and her brother had been killed, by one of the Evremonde. So he would not tell of this event he was imprisoned.Darnay was sentenced to death after the trial for the crime of his ancestors. Carton had later that night overheard the Defarges talking and discovered that Madame Deafarge was the surviving sister who was raped and she too was who killed the Evremondes. Her and Defarge were planning to kill Lucie and her family next . Hearing this Carton sent Lucie and her family away. He drugged Darnay and sent him with his family. He then disguised himself as Darnay and died for him. He said this was the most noble and purposeful thing he has ever done in his life.