Since the beginning of civilization, social hierarchy has shaped the formation and development of society. Whether it is the power of a single monarch or that of a democratic governing body, authority always brings about change both in the lives of those who are governed and even in the lives of those who are governed. who is in power. Charles Dickens' timeless novel, A Tale of Two Cities, follows the conspiracies buried at the heart of the French Revolution, between Paris and London. Centered on the cast of the Manettes, the Evremondes and those touched by the benevolent hand of the former or the wicked hand of the latter, the classic tale is one of undeniable love and sacrifice in the midst of a revolution that makes rage. Although Dickens sets the scene with government corruption and power-hungry nobles as the cause of immense social upheaval, the Marquis, Madame Defarge, and Charles Darnay also fell to the wrath of power and its consequences. As A Tale of Two Cities shows, the idea that even the most honest individuals are tainted and distorted by authority emerges as a truth that is both horrific and realistic. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay First, the Marquis's characterization and actions constitute a classic example of how power corrupts a person's moral identity person. In "Monseigneur en ville", Marquis Evrémonde fled from Monseigneur's reception, only for his speeding car to hit a child on the road. In response to his crime, the marquis coldly blamed the father, exclaiming: "I find it extraordinary that you cannot take care of yourself and your children... How can I know what harm you have done to my horses?... I he would ride over any of you very willingly and wipe you out of the earth” (Dickens 111-12). This quote demonstrates the Marquis' haughty and callous manner, prioritizing the safety of his horses over the life of an innocent child. Born into the noble family of Evrémonde, he lacked compassion for peasants while assuming they could simply abandon a life of poverty for a better life. For a man of considerable influence, the Marquis certainly did not value the lives of the lower classes. Marquis Evrémonde therefore represents the French aristocracy and its unanimous contempt for citizens. Furthermore, as Dr. Manette's secret letter reveals, the Marquis and his brother took advantage of their aristocratic power to conceal Dr. Manette after he learned of the heinous crimes they had committed against a peasant woman and her brother. . After intercepting Manette's letter to the minister, "the two brothers... identified him with a single gesture... and [he] was brought to [his] living grave", the Bastille where he would be unjustly imprisoned for 18 years (Dickens 329). ). Therefore, the Evremonde used their status and heritage to commit such atrocities, which would later dictate the infamous Evremonde family. French peasants feared the nobility for their lack of concern with the authority they were privileged to hold. Overall, the Marquis embodies the French elite in A Tale of Two Cities in their corruption of power and the subsequent injustices they commit toward the lower classes. While Dickens credits the upper class as the primary abusers of power, Madame Defarge's actions also mark her out as someone overwhelmed by the temptations of authoritarian control. Voluntary and bloodthirsty for the fall of Evremondes, revenge fueledMadame Defarge's mission to put an end to the nobility with a blow from the guillotine. As the younger sister of the peasant killed by the Marquis, Defarge swore to avenge them by ending the Evremonde line. However, her rage consumed her as Madame Defarge targeted those with ties to the Evremonde, including Lucie Manette and her daughter, because "it was nothing to her that [Darnay's] wife became a widow and his daughter an orphan ; it was insufficient punishment, for they were his natural enemies and prey, and as such, had no right to live” (Dickens 359). So, as the leader of the French Revolution from Saint-Antoine, this influence in deciding who lives and who dies (or rather, whose name is knitted and whose is not) absorbed her to replace all morality of his conscience. She would only have satisfaction in assassinating all the marquis' descendants, regardless of their connection to the crime against her sister. Carrying the blood of the Evrémonde family and marrying an Evrémonde was enough for Madame Defarge to mark them. When Lucie pleaded for Madame Defarge to side with Darnay, she flatly rejected his plea, arguing: "The wives and mothers we were used to seeing...weren't given much consideration?...Any our life, we have seen our sister- women suffer, in themselves and in their children, from poverty, from nudity, from hunger, from thirst, from illness, from misery, from oppression and abandonment of all kinds? (Dickens 267). Ironically, Madame Defarge did not reflect on her actions which can be compared to the horrible injustices of the Marquis himself. In both cases, the one who ceded authority used it to commit crimes, tearing families apart and destroying the lives of many. Ultimately, despite Madame Defarge's strong stance against the nobility, her control over the Revolution corrupted her just as it did the Marquis. Beyond the incidents with the Marquis and Madame Defarge, the concept of the insidious nature of authority also applies to those who do not themselves abuse their sovereignty, as in the case of Charles Darnay. Born as Évrémonde, but renouncing his title and association with the infamous House of Évrémonde, the family's reputation preceded Charles Darnay and consequently led to much suffering during his life. While Dickens emphasized how his ancestors polluted the simple life he tried to live, "Drawn to the Loadstone Rock" describes Darnay's reflection on the potential consequences of returning to Paris: "He knew very well that in his horror of the act which had culminated the bad actions and the bad reputation of the old family home... He knew it very well, that in his love for Lucie, his renunciation of his social place, although in no way new to his mind, had been hasty and incomplete” (Dickens 238). This quote shows that Darnay could not escape his family's history, even if it threatened the lives of his wife and daughter. Furthermore, this ties in with Shelley’s assertion; despite his divergence from Evremonde's lineage, the atrocities linked to the home he was born into still haunt him, and this is a direct consequence of the position of power in society that Darnay inherited. Another example is when Monsieur Defarge denied Darnay his rights, ignoring their mutual relationship with Dr. Manette and Lucie. The two men argue about Darnay's motivations for coming to Paris: "'I came here voluntarily, in response to this written appeal... Isn't that my right?'... 'Other people were similarly buried in worse prisons, before now.' — But never by me, Citizen Defarge. 'I won't do anything for you. My duty is to my country and the people. I am,.