Summary
Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, A Tale of Two Cities unfolds in London and Paris—the "two cities" of the title.
The story follows:
Charles Darnay, a French aristocrat who renounces his title and moves to England.
Sydney Carton, a disillusioned English lawyer who finds redemption through unrequited love.
Lucie Manette, the compassionate woman both men love, who is the daughter of Dr.
Alexandre Manette, a former Bastille prisoner.
As the revolution erupts in France, the characters are swept into its chaos.
Darnay returns to Paris to help an old family servant, only to be arrested by the revolutionaries.
In a dramatic and emotional climax, Sydney Carton performs an act of profound self-sacrifice, giving his life so that Darnay may live.