Charles Darnay
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Charles Darnay
Charles Darnay, a French aristocrat by birth, is the protagonist of the novel. He is a noble person in the true sense of the word and a foil to his wicked uncle, the Marquis St. Evremonde. Taught by his mother to be compassionate, Darnay abhors the system into which he was born. As a result, he migrates to England, where he renounces both his name and his inheritance. In London, he falls in love with and marries Lucie Manette. Ironically, she is the daughter of a doctor who was falsely imprisoned for years in Paris as a result of the cruelty of the Evremondes.
Lucie and Charles are happily married and have a lovely daughter little Lucie. Neither husband nor wife has any idea that Dr. Manette has a connection to or hatred of the Evremonde family. Because of his love for Lucie and his desire for her happiness, the Doctor foregoes his desire for vengeance against the Evremondes. In fact, he tries to bury his past and never plans to reveal the reason for his imprisonment. The revolution, however, changes that plan, for it draws Darnay back to France.
He had promised his mother to redress the wrongs done by his family, and during the course of the novel he goes back to France and vainly tries to fulfill that promise; but he lacks both the power and the ability to be effective. When the revolution breaks out, one of the Evremonde servants is imprisoned and writes to Darnay, seeking help. The young nobleman remembers his promise to his mother and goes to Paris, without discussing it with anyone. As a result, he puts his life and the life of his family in grave danger. In the end he is imprisoned, not once, but twice. The first time Dr. Manette is successful in obtaining his son-in-law’s acquittal and release. The second time, Sydney Carton must sacrifice his own life to save Darnay. Ironically, throughout the book, Darnay has scorned Carton and judged him to be a useless drunk; little does Darnay realize that the person
Charles Darnay
Charles Darnay, a French aristocrat by birth, is the protagonist of the novel. He is a noble person in the true sense of the word and a foil to his wicked uncle, the Marquis St. Evremonde. Taught by his mother to be compassionate, Darnay abhors the system into which he was born. As a result, he migrates to England, where he renounces both his name and his inheritance. In London, he falls in love with and marries Lucie Manette. Ironically, she is the daughter of a doctor who was falsely imprisoned for years in Paris as a result of the cruelty of the Evremondes.
Lucie and Charles are happily married and have a lovely daughter little Lucie. Neither husband nor wife has any idea that Dr. Manette has a connection to or hatred of the Evremonde family. Because of his love for Lucie and his desire for her happiness, the Doctor foregoes his desire for vengeance against the Evremondes. In fact, he tries to bury his past and never plans to reveal the reason for his imprisonment. The revolution, however, changes that plan, for it draws Darnay back to France.
He had promised his mother to redress the wrongs done by his family, and during the course of the novel he goes back to France and vainly tries to fulfill that promise; but he lacks both the power and the ability to be effective. When the revolution breaks out, one of the Evremonde servants is imprisoned and writes to Darnay, seeking help. The young nobleman remembers his promise to his mother and goes to Paris, without discussing it with anyone. As a result, he puts his life and the life of his family in grave danger. In the end he is imprisoned, not once, but twice. The first time Dr. Manette is successful in obtaining his son-in-law’s acquittal and release. The second time, Sydney Carton must sacrifice his own life to save Darnay. Ironically, throughout the book, Darnay has scorned Carton and judged him to be a useless drunk; little does Darnay realize that the person