ATOTC + Dickens Lecture.

This lecture conducted by Dr. Tony Williams discussed the personal connections between Charles Dickens's life and his historical novel, A Tale of Two Cities. Here are the accommodating notes:


 -Third city is Manchester in A Tale of Two Cities

-the preface outlines Dickens emotional attachment and influence to the story

-1857: The Frozen Deep was a play Dickens had co-wrote (with Collins) and starred in as Richard Water

-plotline is similar along the lines of ATOTC with the self-sacrifice

-met the Turnams and fell in love with Ellen (who influenced Lucie in ATOTC)

-1857: Dickens’s marriage was falling apart due to affair

-1858: public readings for profit was a big thing for him; established a new fan base for readers

-April 30, 1859: Chapter 1-3 of ATOTC published

-Dickens brought to London by his father; knew the city in and out like the back of his hand

-thought England was a “vile place” but was his “magic lantern”

-described as different atmospheres in different novels

-Dickens visited Paris; “most extraordinary place in the world” and “wonderfully expressive in character”

-Paris was his biggest inspiration of perfection for Dickens

-in ATOTC, talks about the changes that Paris goes through

-Dickens visited Paris 15 times throughout the years 1844-1868

-later investigation and articles prove the topographical locations Dickens talks about in ATOTC

- ATOTC was one of two historical novels Dickens wrote

-provides history leading up to and following the French Revolution

-the novel came out in weekly parts chapter by chapter

-Dickens illustrated (with Hablot Knight Browne) the novel on a monthly basis

-despite being historical, Dickens describes novel as being “best story ever written” due to narrative

-many of the characters (Sydney, Darnay, Lucie, etc.) were based on Dickens or other people in his life during the time

-some of the dates and ages add up as well along the lines of his personal relations to others