A Tale of Two Cities Characters
CD
Charles Darnay
Protagonist
Kind
Honest
Brave
Principled
Charles Darnay is the main male character, a Frenchman living in England who renounces his noble French family due to their cruelty. He is kind, honest, and brave. He marries Lucie Manette and becomes entangled in the dangers of the French Revolution.
married to:
Lucie Manette
enemy of:
Marquis Evremonde
father of:
Little Lucie
SC
Sydney Carton
Protagonist
Sad
Lonely
Selfless
Brave
Sydney Carton is the main hero of the story, a melancholy and lonely lawyer who drinks too much. He bears a striking physical resemblance to Charles Darnay. Though he knows Lucie loves Darnay, his deep love for her drives him to ultimately sacrifice his own life to save Darnay.
loves unrequitedly:
Lucie Manette
sacrifices life for:
Charles Darnay
works alongside:
C. J. Stryver
LM
Lucie Manette
Protagonist
Gentle
Loving
Kind
Nurturing
Lucie Manette is the heroine of the story and the daughter of Dr. Alexandre Manette. She grows up in England and is known for her gentle and loving nature. She marries Charles Darnay and plays a key role in helping her father recover from his long imprisonment.
mother of:
Little Lucie
married to:
Charles Darnay
DA
Dr. Alexandre Manette
Supporting
Quiet
Wise
Loving
Resilient
Dr. Alexandre Manette is Lucie's father and a French doctor who was imprisoned in the Bastille for eighteen years. After gaining his freedom, he lives with Lucie in England. He is quiet but deeply wise and loves his daughter profoundly.
father of:
Lucie Manette
friends with:
Jarvis Lorry
ME
Monsieur Ernest Defarge
Supporting
Strong
Revolutionary
Formerly kind
Loyal to a cause
Monsieur Ernest Defarge is a wine shop owner in Paris who once worked for Dr. Manette and helped free him from prison. He joins the French Revolution and becomes a key revolutionary figure. Though strong and driven, he retains some degree of kindness.
married to:
Madame Therese Defarge
former servant of:
Dr. Alexandre Manette
allied with:
Jacques One
MT
Madame Therese Defarge
Antagonist
Cold
Cruel
Vengeful
Calculating
Madame Therese Defarge is the wife of Ernest Defarge and a central antagonist of the story. She harbours intense hatred for the noble class and secretly keeps a list of enemies marked for death. She is a ruthless and driven force during the French Revolution, seeking total revenge.
enemy of:
Charles Darnay
friends with:
The Vengeance
enemy of:
Miss Pross
married to:
Monsieur Ernest Defarge
JL
Jarvis Lorry
Supporting
Kind
Loyal
Reliable
Caring
Jarvis Lorry is an elderly banker in London who works at Tellson's Bank. He is a trusted and loyal friend to Dr. Manette and provides consistent support to Lucie and her family throughout the story.
guardian of:
Lucie Manette
friends with:
Dr. Alexandre Manette
JC
Jerry Cruncher
Supporting
Rough
Secretive
Aggressive
Duplicitous
Jerry Cruncher works for Tellson's Bank and serves as Jarvis Lorry's bodyguard. He leads a secret double life as a body snatcher, digging up corpses at night to sell. He frequently quarrels with his wife over her habit of praying.
serves:
Jarvis Lorry
married to:
Mrs. Cruncher
MP
Miss Pross
Minor
Loyal
Protective
Brave
Strong
Miss Pross is Lucie's devoted servant who cares for her with a mother's love. She is strong and brave, willing to protect Lucie from danger at all costs.
devoted servant of:
Lucie Manette
sister of:
Solomon Pross
enemy of:
Madame Therese Defarge
SP
Solomon Pross
Minor
Also known as: John Barsad
Deceptive
Treacherous
Opportunistic
Untrustworthy
Solomon Pross, also known as John Barsad, is Miss Pross's brother. He works as a spy and is known for his dishonesty and tendency to switch allegiances for personal gain.
works with:
Roger Cly
sister of:
Miss Pross
CJ
C. J. Stryver
Minor
Proud
Selfish
Ambitious
Arrogant
C. J. Stryver is a London lawyer who works alongside Sydney Carton. He once sought to marry Lucie Manette. He is characterised by his pride and selfishness.
works alongside:
Sydney Carton
ME
Marquis Evremonde
Antagonist
Rich
Proud
Cruel
Contemptuous of the poor
The Marquis Evremonde is Charles Darnay's uncle and a wealthy French nobleman. He is deeply cruel and holds contempt for the poor. He is eventually killed by a farmer as an act of revenge.
uncle of:
Charles Darnay
MS
Marquise Saint Evrémonde
Minor
Aristocratic
Maternal
The Marquise Saint Evrémonde is the wife of the Marquis Evremonde and the mother of Charles Darnay. She is a minor figure in the narrative with little detail provided beyond her familial connections.
LL
Little Lucie
Minor
Sweet
Innocent
Gentle
Little Lucie is the young daughter of Lucie Manette and Charles Darnay. She is portrayed as a sweet and innocent child.
G
Gabelle
Minor
Dutiful
Loyal
Unfortunate
Gabelle is a post officer in France who works for the Evremonde family. He is imprisoned by the people during the revolution, and his arrest serves as the catalyst that draws Charles Darnay back to France.
loyal servant of:
Charles Darnay
RC
Roger Cly
Minor
Deceptive
Disloyal
Cunning
Roger Cly is a British spy who pretends to be loyal while serving his own interests. He fakes his own death to escape consequences, revealing his deeply deceptive nature.
works with:
Solomon Pross
TW
The Wood Sawyer
Minor
Also known as: A Doll's House
Callous
Bloodthirsty
Observant
The Wood Sawyer lives in Saint Antoine and works as a woodcutter. He gleefully cheers when people are executed and keeps watch over Darnay while he is imprisoned.
JO
Jacques One
Minor
Revolutionary
Conspiratorial
Violent
Jacques One is one of three French revolutionaries who work alongside Defarge. Together with Jacques Two and Three, he helps plan the killing of nobles during the revolution.
allied with:
Monsieur Ernest Defarge
JT
Jacques Two
Minor
Revolutionary
Conspiratorial
Violent
Jacques Two is one of three French revolutionaries working with Defarge. He participates in planning the violent actions of the revolution alongside Jacques One and Three.
JT
Jacques Three
Minor
Revolutionary
Conspiratorial
Violent
Jacques Three is one of three French revolutionaries working with Defarge. He joins in planning the killing of nobles as part of the revolutionary cause.
JF
Jacques Five
Minor
Revolutionary
Hardworking
Loyal to the cause
Jacques Five is associated with the other Jacques revolutionaries and works as a road mender. He is also an active participant in the French Revolution.
T
Tom
Minor
Dutiful
Functional
Tom is the driver of the mail coach travelling to Dover. He appears briefly at the opening of the story and serves a functional narrative role.
MC
Mrs. Cruncher
Minor
Pious
Long-suffering
Devout
Mrs. Cruncher is Jerry Cruncher's wife, known for her frequent praying. Her religious devotion irritates Jerry, who often argues with her because of it.
married to:
Jerry Cruncher
TV
The Vengeance
Minor
Cruel
Fanatical
Influential
Merciless
The Vengeance is Madame Defarge's close friend and a prominent figure in the revolutionary movement. She is cruel and fanatical, serving as a leader among the revolutionary women.
friends with:
Madame Therese Defarge