A Tale Of Two Cities

For most people, love is known to be a powerful emotion. For some, it can drive people to do honorable and inspiring actions. Others however, can use it for malicious intentions. In the novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens and the film adaptation of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, civil unrest in connection with the French government’s increasingly unwarranted rule allowed these traits of love to be illustrated. Sydney Carton, a brilliant but depressed Englishman makes great sacrifices for the woman he loves – Lucie Manette. Eponine, daughter of the Thénardier family, finds herself sacrificing herself for the man she loves – Marius Pontmercy. These two characters symbolize the outcomes of suffering from unrequited love during the troubling …show more content…
Known as the eldest daughter of the Thénardier family. Before her family lost their Inn and became a street gang, the Thénardiers lived a prosperous but unethical life, extorting their customers and participating in illegal activities. As well with that, Fantine, a single peasant mother working in a factory to provide for her to work at their inn. After the loss of the inn, Eponine and her family are subjected to living in an apartment, where she meets Marius Pontmercy and falls in love “at first sight”. Unfortunately, him and Casette(daughter of Fantine) are acquainted as well, and Casette ends up being the woman daughter, was being extorted in promises by the Thénardiers to assist her daughter, who was being held Marius falls for. Eponine assists Marius throughout the movie, from the planning of the revolts to finding Casette after their first encounter. Her extreme passion for Marius becomes apparent during Jean Maximilien Lamarque’s funeral, when Marius is found in a standoff between a French soldier. Esponsine heroically takes a bullet for him, saving his life, but at the cost of her life. She was quoted to be singing during her death “You're here, that's all I need to know. And you will keep me safe. And you will keep me close. And rain will make the flowers grow.”, symbolizes the extent to how much she cared for Marius. Eponine’s sacrifice truly displayed the results of being in love, and how far a person is …show more content…
Gaining friendship with the Manettes’ and Mr. Lorry allowed him to be in contact with her more so, such as at her house in Soho for dinners, etc. The love he grew for her increased more over time, perhaps setting the stage for his final sacrifice in the end. Eponine’s path to sacrifice was strikingly similar as well. Assiting Marius through his quest’s could only incense her love further, forming a strong uneasiness once he and Cosette became together. Both characters sacrifices gave realities of what people would accomplish when their loved ones were in danger. The consequences of rejection and jealously were taken over by selflessness in times in crisis. Dickens and Hugo created and excellent job in illustrating this throughout their respective