Love Is Greater Than Hate (Tale of Two Cities)
Love > Hate
In Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities, he illustrates the constant battle between love and hate. This battle is never-ending, but in the novel, I believe that love won, and that love is greater than hate. Love is displayed as love for family and friends, while hate is displayed as hate for the aristocrats and revenge. Lucie, a young girl who never met her father, grows into a strong woman and her love for her family is evident. Her love even saved her father from his despair. Miss Pross has love for Lucie, affectionately called Ladybird, and cares for her and her daughter, little Lucie, with her life. However, there is also hate. Madame Defarge hates the aristocrats, mostly the Evrémondes, and will go to any length to see them suffer. Sydney Carton hates everyone and hates life in general. Can love overpower these emotions; will love prove it is greater? In Dickens’ novel, it did. Lucie loves her father, from the day they first meet, it is obvious, and the sentiment is soon shared by her father. After living a life of hatred and despair for 18 years, Lucie brings Doctor Manette love. The first glimpse we see of this love that will save Doctor Manette from himself is when Dickens writes, “His cold white hair mingled with her radiant hair, which warmed and lighted it as though it were the light of Freedom shining on him.” (Dickens, pg. 50). After being with his daughter for awhile, her love freed him from his sufferings and brought him back to the man he used to be. The love that Lucie was able to give him, gave him the strength he needed to overcome the hatred that held him prisoner inside the Bastille for so long. But even then, there were times when he relapsed into his old habits from prison. However, Lucie was the one who could bring him back from that despair and hatred with her love. As Miss Pross remarks, “In silence they go walking up and down together, walking up and down together, until her love and company have brought him
In Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities, he illustrates the constant battle between love and hate. This battle is never-ending, but in the novel, I believe that love won, and that love is greater than hate. Love is displayed as love for family and friends, while hate is displayed as hate for the aristocrats and revenge. Lucie, a young girl who never met her father, grows into a strong woman and her love for her family is evident. Her love even saved her father from his despair. Miss Pross has love for Lucie, affectionately called Ladybird, and cares for her and her daughter, little Lucie, with her life. However, there is also hate. Madame Defarge hates the aristocrats, mostly the Evrémondes, and will go to any length to see them suffer. Sydney Carton hates everyone and hates life in general. Can love overpower these emotions; will love prove it is greater? In Dickens’ novel, it did. Lucie loves her father, from the day they first meet, it is obvious, and the sentiment is soon shared by her father. After living a life of hatred and despair for 18 years, Lucie brings Doctor Manette love. The first glimpse we see of this love that will save Doctor Manette from himself is when Dickens writes, “His cold white hair mingled with her radiant hair, which warmed and lighted it as though it were the light of Freedom shining on him.” (Dickens, pg. 50). After being with his daughter for awhile, her love freed him from his sufferings and brought him back to the man he used to be. The love that Lucie was able to give him, gave him the strength he needed to overcome the hatred that held him prisoner inside the Bastille for so long. But even then, there were times when he relapsed into his old habits from prison. However, Lucie was the one who could bring him back from that despair and hatred with her love. As Miss Pross remarks, “In silence they go walking up and down together, walking up and down together, until her love and company have brought him