Which "A Tale of Two Cities" Character Am I? Quiz

Answer: Sydney Carton

Sydney Carton is first presented as an alcoholic lawyer, a melancholic, cynical, and pessimistic man plagued by low self-esteem. He frequently describes his existence as a complete waste of life and speaks of the lack of meaning in his own. Yet beneath his hardened and closed exterior emerges a selfless individual, willing to sacrifice himself for the love of his life - Lucie, who is married to another man.

In an altruistic act, exploiting his physical resemblance to Charles Darnay, her husband, he takes his place and goes to the guillotine in his stead. Many of Dickens's commentators compare his character to that of Jesus, as a martyr whose death preserves Lucie's happiness and even promises a form of eternal life. This interpretation draws, among other things, on Dickens's use of imagery related to wine and blood, as well as the motif of resurrection. Others, however, downplay the value of Carton's sacrifice and regard it as a relatively easy choice for a man who does not attribute great value to his own existence.

Answer: Jarvis Lorry

Lorry presents himself as a businessman and shows absolute loyalty to his workplace. His behavior is marked by pragmatism and restraint qualities that allow him to navigate complex and stressful situations successfully. Beneath his outward formality, Lorry reveals several subtle moments of compassion and empathy toward Lucie and her father.

Lorry's character was inspired by the banking professionals of the Victorian era. Tellson's Bank, where he works, is based on one of the oldest banks in Britain-historic Child & Co. The disorder and chaos in France stand in contrast to the order and discipline that define both Lorry's character and the business world in which he operates.

Answer: Solomon Pross

This one can be a little tricky for anyone who remember him by his alias, John Barsad, which he uses while working as a spy. Solomon Pross is his real name, and we find out later that he is the long-lost brother of Miss Pross. His cold and exploitative attitude toward her reveals his lack of loyalty to his family. One of his most notable crimes is helping to frame Charles Darnay by providing false and misleading evidence.

Later, Carton blackmails him into assisting with a prison scheme that allows Darnay to be saved by switching places with him. In the end, unfortunately, he does not change his ways, and it is implied that he ultimately meets his fate on the guillotine.

Dickens, who draws on Christian scripture several times throughout the novel, presents Solomon's character as even worse than that of Judas Iscariot.

Answer: Charles Darnay

We are first introduced to Charles Darnay during his trial in London, where he is accused of spying for the French. He is acquitted largely because of his striking resemblance to Sydney Carton. He later falls in love with Lucie Manette, and they marry.

Being a descendant of the cruel Evrémonde family makes him a target of persecution and places him in danger throughout the novel. He acts as a bridge between England and France. He belongs to neither the aristocracy nor the revolutionary forces; having rejected his noble title, he chooses instead to live modestly as a French teacher in England.

Darnay's character is marked by integrity and a desire for moral renewal. His sense of duty leads him to make the fateful decision to return to France in order to help a former servant, but this act places him in grave danger. He is arrested, brought before a revolutionary tribunal, and ultimately condemned to death by guillotine when the crimes of his family are brought to light. In the end, he is saved by Sydney Carton, who takes his place at the execution without his knowledge, sacrificing himself for Lucie happiness.

Answer: Théophile Gabelle

Théophile Gabelle is a minor character in the novel, but his experiences play an important role in advancing the plot. He works as an agent of the Marquis St. Evrémonde (the uncle of Charles Darnay), responsible for collecting taxes from the peasants.

Although he is portrayed as an honest and relatively fair man, the outbreak of the French Revolution leads the revolutionaries to view him as part of the oppressive system. As a result, Gabelle is arrested and imprisoned. From prison, he writes to Darnay, asking for help. Darnay returns to France in an attempt to save him, a decision that places him in serious danger.

Answer: Lucie Manette

Lucie is only 17 years old at the beginning of the book; her character symbolizes the kindness and compassion with which she heals and unites those around her. Her nickname, "Golden Thread," comes from her blonde hair, but also from her remarkable ability to connect and bring together the people around her. In this way, she helps her father recover after years in prison. Her kindness is also reflected in her empathy and pity toward Carton, who is in love with her.

There are thoughtful discussions about whether, despite the space her character occupies in the book, she should truly be considered a central figure in the plot. Some see her more as a guiding presence - someone who brings out important qualities in others and helps move the story forward - while her own character may seem passive or less fully developed. At the same time, others argue that her influence is profound. Through her kindness and steady compassion, especially against the chaos of the French Revolution, she shapes the lives of those around her in meaningful ways. In this sense, she is no less essential than the more dramatic characters, even if her strength appears in gentler forms.

Answer: Ernest Defarge

Ernest Defarge is a leading figure among the Paris revolutionaries and a member of the group known as the "Jacquerie." He takes part in the storming of the Bastille, driven by a deep hatred of the aristocracy rooted in his past experiences. However, unlike his wife, Madame Defarge, Ernest represents a more measured and humane side of the Revolution. He supports the cause but shows discomfort with excessive vengeance and bloodshed.

Madame Defarge regards him as comparatively weak person, and although he does not fully share her ruthless desire for revenge, he ultimately fails to oppose or restrain her actions in any meaningful way. Charles Dickens leaves Ernest's ultimate fate uncertain, though the novel suggests that, like many revolutionaries, he could eventually fall victim to the very forces he helped unleash.

Answer: Miss Pross

Miss Pross, Lucie Manette's fiercely loyal and devoted companion, serves as a source of stability and support for the Manette family, whom she regards as her own. She combines toughness with deep tenderness. Though largely a static character, she plays a crucial role in the plot. Some interpretations suggest that her character also reflects the social expectations of her time, in which the value of an unmarried woman was often defined by her loyalty and devotion to others.

Miss Pross's courage and loyalty reaches its peak when she confronts Madame Defarge and physically prevents her from entering Lucie's home. In the struggle, she accidentally shoots Madame Defarge with the latter's own pistol, killing her. The gunshot leaves Miss Pross partially deaf, adding a tragic cost to her act of devotion and leaving the reader to wonder what becomes of her after she has fulfilled her duty and saved the Manettes.

Answer: Doctor Alexandre Manette

Doctor Alexandre Manette is one of the most tragic characters in "A Tale of Two Cities", if not the most tragic of all. A brilliant French physician and the father of Lucie Manette, he spends eighteen years imprisoned in a secret cell in the Bastille during the years preceding the French Revolution. The novel opens with his long-awaited release from captivity.

The many years of solitary confinement leave deep psychological scars and severely damage his sanity. His despair and mental collapse come to symbolize the human cost of tyranny. The support and devotion of his beloved daughter help him transform suffering into strength and move from passivity to renewed purpose. Yet the past never fully releases its grip on him. When a long-buried secret resurfaces, it drives him back into a state of mental breakdown and obsessive shoemaking-the coping mechanism he developed during his imprisonment in the Bastille.

Answer: The Vengeance

The Vengeance is a servant of Madame Defarge. She is one of the "knitting women" (tricoteuses in French), a term used for women who actively participated in protests, discussions, and committees of the Jacobin Club during the French Revolution. They were also present at executions, and it is believed that many of them continued knitting even as these events took place.

Her character likely reflects Charles Dickens's complex view of the French Revolution. He suggests that the bloodshed was partly the result of deep social and class inequality. On the other hand, he criticizes how the Revolution descended into blind revenge, where "the vengeance of the people" became a justification for indiscriminate violence without due process of law.

Answer: Marquis St. Evrémonde

The Marquis is an elderly aristocrat and the uncle of Charles Darnay, the latter having rejected his family's cruel legacy. Charles Dickens describes the Marquis's appearance in a cold, almost inhuman way, noting that his expression conveys "treachery and cruelty" across his entire face. His character is meant to illustrate the injustice and brutality of the aristocracy.

He shows chilling indifference when his carriage runs over a child. Instead of remorse, he throws a coin to the grieving father as "compensation," revealing his complete lack of empathy. The incident serves as a catalyst and a clear sign of the growing unrest that will soon erupt into the French Revolution. He is also directly involved in the suffering of Madame Defarge's family, a revelation that helps explain her relentless desire for revenge.

Answer: Jerry Cruncher

Mr. Cruncher is probably the oddest character in "A Tale of Two Cities" and often serves as a source of comic relief throughout the novel. Yet he also has a darker side: alongside his legitimate work as a bank clerk, he is involved at night in the illegal trade of grave robbing. His wife, at some level, senses that something is wrong with him and therefore prays for him frequently. This only irritates Jerry-who remains blind to the immorality of his own behavior-and leads him to accuse her, without any real basis, of sabotaging his livelihood.

But like many characters in the story, Jerry undergoes a transformation. During his trip to Paris, the violent scenes of the French Revolution prompt him to reflect on his actions and conduct a soul-searching. When his secret is exposed, he admits his wrongdoing and vows to give up grave robbing in favor of becoming a legitimate gravedigger. This change also leads him to become more open to religion and to acknowledge that he was wrong about his wife's prayers. Astute readers may see symbolism in his being "revived" as a better man, in contrast to his former illegal role as a "reviver of the dead."

Answer: Roger Cly

Cly is a former servant of Charles Darnay, who is on trial for treason against Britain. Cly gives false testimony against him. Dickens portrays him as a man without integrity, someone who cares little about justice or truth.

During the trial, we, the readers, gradually understand that Roger Cly is connected to a network of informers and spies in Britain through his association with John Barsad. After the trial, Cly secretly fled to France, and later news arrives of his supposed death. However, Jerry Cruncher, a "resurrection man," becomes suspicious and decides to dig up his grave, only to discover that the coffin is empty and filled with stones. The empty grave symbolizes the emptiness hidden within Cly himself, as well as the deception and pretense that are essential parts of his personality.

Answer: Gaspard

Gaspard is a poor French peasant and the father of a child killed by the cruel and callous Marquis St. Evrémonde, who runs him down with his carriage. The outrage is compounded when the Marquis tosses Gaspard a coin as "compensation." Driven by grief and a desire for revenge, Gaspard later murders the Marquis in his sleep. After a year in hiding, he is captured and publicly executed by hanging.

Although his role in the novel is brief, Gaspard is narratively significant. He embodies the suffering and powerlessness of the common people under a brutal and indifferent aristocracy, and his act of vengeance foreshadows the wider violence of the Revolution.

Answer: Madame Defarge

Madame Defarge is a prominent figure in the French Revolution, leading the women of Paris and taking part in the storming of the Bastille. To an outsider, her demeanor may seem passive as she quietly knits in her and her husband's wine shop, but beneath the surface lies an unquenchable desire for revenge. Charles Dickens draws on the historical image of the tricoteuses, women who were said to knit during political trials and executions. Her knitting recalls the Moirai, the Fates in Greek mythology, as if she is weaving the fate of those she condemns.

Long before Arya Stark, Madame Defarge is carefully planning her retribution list. Her motives are rooted in intergenerational trauma and moral outrage. She seeks to avenge the crimes committed by the Evrémonde family against her own relatives - her brother and sister were murdered. Unable to distinguish between justice and revenge, she aims to destroy every last remnant of the Evrémonde line. For her, blood determines guilt, not individual actions. As a result, Charles Darnay, Lucie, and even their daughter, little Lucie, become necessary sacrifices in her pursuit of justice.

Dickens gives Madame Defarge a degree of depth. She is portrayed as a strong and commanding figure whose downfall stems not from personal weakness, but from a radical and unrestrained ideology. Through her character, Dickens expresses his complex view of the French Revolution: while he acknowledges its motives and psychological roots, he also warns against the corrupting power of anger and revenge.