English Summary of "A Tale of Two Cities"
"A Tale of Two Cities", written by Charles Dickens and published in 1859, is set during the turbulent period
of the French Revolution, contrasting life in two cities: Paris and London. The novel explores themes of
sacrifice, resurrection, social injustice, and the personal and political turmoil of a society on the brink of
transformation.
The story begins with Dr. Alexandre Manette, a French doctor who has been unjustly imprisoned in the
Bastille for 18 years. He is released and taken to England, where he reunites with his daughter, Lucie
Manette, who thought him dead. Dr. Manette, though deeply scarred by his imprisonment, gradually
recovers under Lucie's care and protection.
Meanwhile, Charles Darnay, a French aristocrat who has renounced his title to distance himself from his
family's oppressive legacy, also moves to England to start a new life. In London, he meets and falls in love
with Lucie, and the two marry. Darnay's background becomes a pivotal point in the story, as his family's
history ties him to the injustices that fueled the revolution in France.
In the meantime, Sydney Carton, a dissolute English lawyer, also loves Lucie, though he believes himself
unworthy of her. Despite his lack of self-esteem, Carton forms a bond with Lucie and her family, showing a
deep, selfless love that transforms him over time. Carton becomes a tragic hero whose character arc
centers on redemption and sacrifice.
As the revolution gains momentum, the people of Paris, led by figures such as the vengeful Madame
Defarge, seek revenge on the aristocracy for years of exploitation. The streets of Paris become violent, and
aristocrats are targeted for execution by the guillotine. Darnay returns to France to help an imprisoned
family servant, but he is arrested and sentenced to death due to his noble lineage.
In the novel's climax, Carton, moved by his love for Lucie and desire to give meaning to his life, decides to
sacrifice himself to save Darnay. Using their physical resemblance, Carton switches places with Darnay in
prison, allowing Darnay to escape with Lucie to England. Carton is executed in Darnay's place, finding
peace in his final act of selflessness.
The novel's famous closing lines reflect Carton's inner transformation: "It is a far, far better thing that I
do, than I have ever done." Through Carton's sacrifice, Dickens emphasizes themes of personal redemption,
love, and the possibility of a moral rebirth even amidst a society wracked by injustice and violence. "A Tale
of Two Cities" thus paints a vivid picture of the human cost of social upheaval while celebrating the power
of compassion and sacrifice.
---
ﻣﻠﺨﺺ ﺗﻔﺼﻴﻠﻲ ﻟﺮواﻳﺔ "ﻗﺼﺔ ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺘﻴﻦ"
رواﻳﺔ "ﻗﺼﺔ ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺘﻴﻦ" ،اﻟﺘﻲ ﻛﺘﺒﻬﺎ ﺗﺸﺎرﻟﺰ دﻳﻜﻨﺰ وُﻧﺸﺮت ﻋﺎم ، 1859ﺗﺪور أﺣﺪاﺛﻬﺎ ﺧﻼل اﻟﻔﺘﺮة اﻟﻤﻀﻄﺮﺑﺔ ﻟﻠﺜﻮرة اﻟﻔﺮﻧﺴﻴﺔ ،ﺣﻴﺚ
ﺗﻘﺎرن ﺑﻴﻦ اﻟﺤﻴﺎة ﻓﻲ ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺘﻴﻦ :ﺑﺎرﻳﺲ وﻟﻨﺪن .ﺗﺴﺘﻜﺸﻒ اﻟﺮواﻳﺔ ﻣﻮﺿﻮﻋﺎت اﻟﺘﻀﺤﻴﺔ ،واﻟﺒﻌﺚ ،واﻟﻈﻠﻢ اﻻﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻲ ،واﻻ
ﺿﻄﺮاﺑﺎت اﻟﺸﺨﺼﻴﺔ واﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻣﺠﺘﻤﻊ ﻋﻠﻰ وﺷﻚ اﻟﺘﺤﻮل اﻟﻜﺒﻴﺮ.
ﺳﺠﻦ ﻇﻠﻤًﺎ ﻓﻲ ﺳﺠﻦ اﻟﺒﺎﺳﺘﻴﻞ ﻟﻤﺪة 18ﻋﺎًﻣﺎ .ﺑﻌﺪ إﻃﻼق ﺳﺮاﺣﻪُ ،ﻳﻨﻘﻞ إﻟﻰ
ﺗﺒﺪأ اﻟﻘﺼﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﻄﺒﻴﺐ اﻟﻔﺮﻧﺴﻲ أﻟﻜﺴﻨﺪر ﻣﺎﻧﻴﺖ ،اﻟﺬي ُ
إﻧﺠﻠﺘﺮا ،ﺣﻴﺚ ﻳﺠﺘﻤﻊ ﺑﺎﺑﻨﺘﻪ ﻟﻮﺳﻲ ﻣﺎﻧﻴﺖ ،اﻟﺘﻲ ﻛﺎﻧﺖ ﺗﻈﻦ أﻧﻪ ﻗﺪ ﺗﻮﻓﻲ .وﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﺮﻏﻢ ﻣﻦ أن ﻣﺎﻧﻴﺖ ﻳﻌﺎﻧﻲ ﻣﻦ آﺛﺎر اﻟﺴﺠﻦ
اﻟﻤﺆﻟﻤﺔ ،إﻻ أﻧﻪ ﻳﺴﺘﻌﻴﺪ ﻋﺎﻓﻴﺘﻪ ﺗﺪرﻳﺠﻴًﺎ ﺑﻔﻀﻞ رﻋﺎﻳﺔ اﺑﻨﺘﻪ وﻣﺤﺒﺘﻬﺎ.
ﻓﻲ اﻟﻮﻗﺖ ﻧﻔﺴﻪ ،ﻳﻘﺮر ﺷﺎرل دارﻧﻲ ،وﻫﻮ أرﺳﺘﻘﺮاﻃﻲ ﻓﺮﻧﺴﻲ ،اﻟﺘﺨﻠﻲ ﻋﻦ ﻟﻘﺒﻪ اﻟﻨﺒﻴﻞ ﻟﻠﺘﻨﺼﻞ ﻣﻦ إرث ﻋﺎﺋﻠﺘﻪ اﻟﻘﻤﻌﻲ ،وﻳﻬﺎﺟﺮ
إﻟﻰ إﻧﺠﻠﺘﺮا ﻟﻴﺒﺪأ ﺣﻴﺎة ﺟﺪﻳﺪة .ﻫﻨﺎك ،ﻳﺘﻌﺮف ﻋﻠﻰ ﻟﻮﺳﻲ وﻳﻘﻊ ﻓﻲ ﺣﺒﻬﺎ ،وﻳﺘﺰوﺟﺎن .ﺗﺼﺒﺢ ﺧﻠﻔﻴﺔ دارﻧﻲ ﻧﻘﻄﺔ ﻣﺤﻮرﻳﺔ ﻓﻲ
اﻟﻘﺼﺔ ،ﺣﻴﺚ ﺗﺮﺑﻄﻪ أﺻﻮﻟﻪ اﻟﻨﺒﻴﻠﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﻈﻠﻢ اﻟﺬي أﺛﺎر اﻟﺜﻮرة ﻓﻲ ﻓﺮﻧﺴﺎ.
ﻀﺎ ،ﻟﻜﻨﻪ ﻳﺸﻌﺮ أﻧﻪ ﻻ ﻳﺴﺘﺤﻘﻬﺎ ﺑﺴﺒﺐ ﻓﻲ ﻫﺬه اﻷﺛﻨﺎء ،ﻳﻈﻬﺮ ﺳﻴﺪﻧﻲ ﻛﺎرﺗﻮن ،وﻫﻮ ﻣﺤﺎٍم إﻧﺠﻠﻴﺰي ﻏﻴﺮ ﻣﻨﻀﺒﻂ ،وﻳﻌﺸﻖ ﻟﻮﺳﻲ أﻳ ً
إﺣﺴﺎﺳﻪ اﻟﻌﻤﻴﻖ ﺑﺎﻧﻌﺪام اﻟﻘﻴﻤﺔ .وﻣﻊ ذﻟﻚ ،ﻳﻜّﻮن ﻛﺎرﺗﻮن ﻋﻼﻗﺔ ﻗﻮﻳﺔ ﻣﻊ ﻟﻮﺳﻲ وأﺳﺮﺗﻬﺎ ،وﻳﻈﻬﺮ ﺣًﺒﺎ ﻋﻤﻴًﻘﺎ وﻏﻴﺮ أﻧﺎﻧﻲ ،ﻣﻤﺎ
ﻳﺆدي إﻟﻰ ﺗﺤﻮﻟﻪ اﻟﻨﻔﺴﻲ ﺗﺪرﻳﺠًﻴﺎ .ﻳﺼﺒﺢ ﻛﺎرﺗﻮن ﺷﺨﺼﻴﺔ ﻣﺄﺳﺎوﻳﺔ ،ﺣﻴﺚ ﻳﺮﻛﺰ ﺧﻂ ﻗﺼﺘﻪ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﺨﻼص واﻟﺘﻀﺤﻴﺔ.
ﻣﻊ ﺗﺼﺎﻋﺪ اﻟﺜﻮرة ،ﻳﻘﻮد ﺳﻜﺎن ﺑﺎرﻳﺲ -ﺗﺤﺖ ﻗﻴﺎدة ﺷﺨﺼﻴﺎت ﻣﺜﻞ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة دﻳﻔﺎرج اﻟﺜﺄرﻳﺔ -اﻻﻧﺘﻘﺎم ﻣﻦ اﻷرﺳﺘﻘﺮاﻃﻴﺔ ﺑﻌﺪ
ﺳﻨﻮات ﻣﻦ اﻻﺳﺘﻐﻼل .ﺗﺼﺒﺢ ﺷﻮارع ﺑﺎرﻳﺲ ﻏﺎرﻗﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻌﻨﻒ ،ﺣﻴﺚ ﻳﺘﻢ اﺳﺘﻬﺪاف اﻟﻨﺒﻼء ﻟﻺﻋﺪام ﺑﺎﻟﻤﻘﺼﻠﺔ .ﻳﻘﺮر دارﻧﻲ
اﻟﻌﻮدة إﻟﻰ ﻓﺮﻧﺴﺎ ﻟﻤﺴﺎﻋﺪة ﺧﺎدم ﻋﺎﺋﻠﺘﻪ اﻟﻤﺴﺠﻮن ،ﻟﻜﻨﻪ ُﻳﻌﺘﻘﻞ وﻳﺤﻜﻢ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺑﺎﻹﻋﺪام ﺑﺴﺒﺐ أﺻﻮﻟﻪ اﻟﻨﺒﻴﻠﺔ.
ﻋﺎ ﺑﺤﺒﻪ ﻟﻠﻮﺳﻲ ورﻏﺒﺘﻪ ﻓﻲ إﺿﻔﺎء ﻣﻌﻨﻰ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺣﻴﺎﺗﻪ ،اﻟﺘﻀﺤﻴﺔ ﺑﻨﻔﺴﻪ ﻹﻧﻘﺎذ دارﻧﻲ .
ﻓﻲ ذروة اﻷﺣﺪاث ،ﻳﻘﺮر ﻛﺎرﺗﻮن ،ﻣﺪﻓﻮ ً
وﺑﺎﺳﺘﺨﺪام اﻟﺘﺸﺎﺑﻪ اﻟﺠﺴﺪي ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻤﺎ ،ﻳﺘﺒﺎدل ﻛﺎرﺗﻮن اﻷﻣﺎﻛﻦ ﻣﻊ دارﻧﻲ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺴﺠﻦ ،ﻣﻤﺎ ﻳﺴﻤﺢ ﻟﺪارﻧﻲ ﺑﺎﻟﻬﺮوب ﻣﻊ ﻟﻮﺳﻲ إﻟﻰ
إﻧﺠﻠﺘﺮا .ﻳﺘﻢ إﻋﺪام ﻛﺎرﺗﻮن ﺑﺪﻻ ً ﻣﻦ دارﻧﻲ ،ﻟﻴﺠﺪ اﻟﺮاﺣﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺗﻀﺤﻴﺘﻪ اﻟﻨﻬﺎﺋﻴﺔ.
وﺗﻌﻜﺲ اﻟﻜﻠﻤﺎت اﻟﺨﺘﺎﻣﻴﺔ اﻟﺸﻬﻴﺮة ﻟﻠﺮواﻳﺔ اﻟﺘﺤﻮل اﻟﺪاﺧﻠﻲ ﻟﻜﺎرﺗﻮن" :إﻧﻪ ﻋﻤﻞ أﻓﻀﻞ ﺑﻜﺜﻴﺮ ﻣﻤﺎ ﻓﻌﻠﺖ ﻣﻦ ﻗﺒﻞ" .وﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل
ﺗﻀﺤﻴﺔ ﻛﺎرﺗﻮن ،ﻳﺆﻛﺪ دﻳﻜﻨﺰ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﻮﺿﻮﻋﺎت اﻟﺨﻼص اﻟﺸﺨﺼﻲ ،واﻟﺤﺐ ،وإﻣﻜﺎﻧﻴﺔ اﻟﺒﻌﺚ اﻷﺧﻼﻗﻲ ﺣﺘﻰ ﻓﻲ ﺧﻀﻢ ﻣﺠﺘﻤﻊ
ﻳﻌﺎﻧﻲ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻈﻠﻢ واﻟﻌﻨﻒ .وﺗﻘﺪم "ﻗﺼﺔ ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺘﻴﻦ" ﺻﻮرة ﺣﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺘﻜﺎﻟﻴﻒ اﻟﺒﺸﺮﻳﺔ ﻟﻼﺿﻄﺮاﺑﺎت اﻻﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ ،وﺗﺤﺘﻔﻲ ﺑﻘﻮة
اﻟﺘﻌﺎﻃﻒ واﻟﺘﻀﺤﻴﺔ.
