Character Descriptions:
Much of this novel consists of character development. This all pays off in the third book when everything comes together.
Main Characters:
Charles Darnay
Charles Darnay is tried in court for treason and is let go because he and Sydney Carton look alike. This means it could not be proven who the spy was. Charles lived in England because he refused to be involved with his stubborn, snobbish relatives in France. He refuses his uncle's, the Marquis Evremonde, inheritance. He does this also to gain the love of Lucie Manette, who he later marries. Previous to the marriage and confrontation with Lucie about his love, he tries to gain the trust of Doctor Manette by telling Manette about the secret of his true identity. Charles goes to court again after the Defarges and a spy report him. He is sentenced to death because of his father and uncle's crimes toward the peasants. Charles' Spoiler Alert!
Lucie Manette
Lucie Manette is the daughter of Doctor Manette. She is very beautiful and catches many men's eyes. She is blonde; and this is significant because, when her father was in prison for 18 years, he had a lock of her hair. It kept him sane throughout his sentence. Her lock of hair was known as the golden thread, as Book Two is called the Golden Thread. She is loved by many men, including Darnay, Carton, and Stryver. Stryver was going to propose to her until Mr. Lorry told him it would be a bad idea. Darnay was professing his love of her to Lucie's father. Darnay did not want to be intrusive on her and her father's relationship. Later Carton tells Lucie that she has restored his faith in love because of the relationship she has with her father. After Carton tells her that his life is worthless and wasted, she feels pity for him. She ends up marrying Darnay and has a daughter named Lucie, because she looks like her mother. When Darnay is sentenced to death, Madame Defarge wanted her and little Lucie dead as well. She has to escape out of Paris to survive. Find out what happens to Lucie HERE.
Sydney Carton
Sydney is a drunk, and is considered worthless by himself and the town. He shows up at Darnay's first trial and os the reason Charles' charges were dropped. Since they look alike, they was no way to prove who was a spy. Carton is portrayed as a careless drunk throughout the story until he speaks to Lucie. When he speaks to Lucie he explains his complicated love for her. He tells her that her relationship with her father brings back his faith in love. She pities hims after he describes that his life is wasted and worthless. He remains in the story to keep the audience attached to him, so that it makes the end that much more touching. Once he saves Darnay by switching places with him, he dies with the expectations that he would have stayed in his acquaintances hearts. He feels he has given purpose to his wasted life.
Doctor Manette
Manette is Lucie's loving father. Doctor Manette was in prison for 18 years. This was because he knew about the crimes of the Evremonde. While in prison he keeps a lock of Lucie's hair and makes shoes as a hobby. It was the only thing keeping him sane in prison. When Manette's sentence is over, he is still making shoes, especially when he is stressed. Lucie was worried about him. She occasionally checks on him at night, only to find him making shoes. On nights that he wasn't she was relieved. Later in the book they get rid of his equipment and burn his bench, preventing him from making anymore shoes. Doctor Manette stays in the story for the purpose of showing how strong his relationship is with his daughter.
Supporting Characters:
Jerry Cruncher
Jerry is a resurrection man for a living, meaning he digs up dead bodies and sells them to science. Toward the end of the story he is Lucie's body guard. With Miss Pross and his help, they plan on escaping France.
Miss Pross
Pross is described as very masculine, but is also considered Lucie's maternal figure. Prior to the planned escape, Pross gets into a fight with Defarge, the woman who wants the Evremonde heirs dead. As Pross and Defarge are fighting, Defarge struggles to pull out her gun. This action cause the gun to go off and Defarge was shot. Pross went deaf from the blast, but continued to help Lucie escape.
Madame Defarge
Defarge mainly represents the brutality and cruelty of the mob during this time. Defarge is a cruel woman, because of the Evremonde's crimes. Marquis raped a woman who was the sister of Defarge. For this reason, she is now after the Evremondes and their heirs. She is often knitting the names of the people to be executed. She goes to Lucie's house to see if she was mourning the loss of her husband. This would give her more of a reason to execute Lucie. She is met by Miss Pross who is collecting the rest of Lucie's items. Defarge realizes that Lucie has left with Cruncher and tries to go after them. Miss Pross stops her and she accidentally shoots herself during the struggle.
Mr. Stryver
Stryver is a successful lawyer and is a hard-worker. He strongly considers proposing to Lucie, but he is talked out of it by Mr. Lorry. He is used to compare to Carton, because he is everything Carton isn't: wealthy, successful, well-maintained, and hard-working.
Mr. Lorry
Lorry was a banker at Tellson's Bank. He is a friend of the Manettes and takes Lucy to see Dr. Manette when he is found to be alive in France. He is a serious businessman who cares greatly about Tellson's, but also cares about people. He provides a constant, level-head throughout the book, which proves to be very helpful when they all have to escape France.