A Tale of Two Cities, Laying Down the Line.

       One can agree that in the novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, Sydney Carton is certainly the hero of the day, while being much like Winnie in The Secret Agent (background yet major character-- protagonist) and Joan (sacrifice-- matyr). He defines subtle majesty, being the downtrodden wise soul, who is intimate with the protagonist, but also ends up guiding them as well, perhaps not always to their knowledge. From eavesdropping to substitution, Carton brings a certain humulity to the table that perhaps not everyone can readily believe or accept, at least not now. But to his fellows of the time, he stood a shining example of something they would probably never do given the opportunity, but should have aspired to.

      Intially, we look down on Carton, he is a wasteful drunk that while wise in how to be successful cannot bring himself to ascend his own life (a disgraceful waste of gifts). Still, he assists in acquitting Darnay from his intial trial by displaying an uncanny likeness, and later at his execution by the same right (parallel usuage). So which image do we stick with? Do we say that all would be well if he was so "lazy" or do we say that he has in a sense redeemed himself by using that useless life to stand in where one would be taken, thus ending his own? It really matters not what we think, either way he is redeemed in his eyes, and very likely in the eyes of his impossible love, Lucy, and his frenemy Darnay. Truly he is a tradgic hero in that he exemplifies the quality of rising where none would dare, to make the sacrifice so many make for what they love. He is much like a soldier, a defender of nationalty and user of faith/pride (Joan), whose purpose is to safeguard those who are helpless and lavish in the efforts of the fighters, in a sense of justice. He is much like each one of us in that he has no special background or mythical upcoming, but rather gifts that we all do have, but often choose not to utilize or share. He is a stand-in beckoning for each of us to rise to the occasion, using our time to further others, perhaps even at our own expense, not just lavish ourselves in utter ignorance. Merely realizing this is part the challenge, doing it is what really matters.

       I did compare Carton to Joan and Winnie, but in contrast he is a man of less extent whose life is the tool, much rather than a belief or a sense of being. He does not have the faith Joan utilizes in her exploits and must instead rely upon the inner realizations of utter truth of himself versus others, ultimately bringing him to the aforemetnioned conclusions. While he does in a sense have similar support, he too must function all his own at a point, but to save rather than perserve for his own demise in the face of adversity. While he may drift outside the main spotlight, at least for a time, he still has a personal brush with death as Winnie does, albeit not in passion or spite as she does in each heat of the moment. Instead, he faces killing himself in redemptive substitution in a mental enlightment over the breakdown of a widow. So while he may be similar to them in slighted ways, he too is vry different in the simple way he does those things. Now if only one was to be so brilliant.