A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities is a historical novel by Charles Dickens. The plot centers around the years leading up to French Revolution, and culminates in the Jacobin reign of terror. It tells the story of two men, Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton, who look very alike, but are entirely different. Darnay is a romantic descended from French aristocrats, while Carton a cynical attorney. The two are in love with the same woman, Lucie Manette.

Other major characters in the book include Dr Manette (Lucie's father) and Madame Defarge, a female revolutionary with a grudge against Darnay's family.

The two cities of the title are London and Paris. The opening line, "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times" is one of the most famous in all literature.

The book has been adapted for the cinema several times::

1907, director unknown

1911, directed by William Humphrey

1917, directed by Frank Lloyd

1922, directed by W. Courtney Rowden

1935, directed by Jack Conway and Robert Z. Leonard (uncredited)

1958, directed by Ralph Thomas

• A Tale of Two Cities - searchable, indexed e-text.