A Tale of Two Cities

「雙城記」是以法國大革命為背景所寫成的小說，描寫地點時而巴黎，時而倫敦，或雙城交錯，圍繞著馬奈特醫生一家和以德發日夫婦為首的聖安東尼區展開故事。小說裡描寫了貴族如何敗壞、如何殘害百姓，人民心中積壓對貴族的刻骨仇恨，導致了不可避免的法國大革命。狄更斯選取法國大革命的史料，捕捉那時代的氣氛，透過過虛構的人物和事件，用故事呼籲當權者和公眾，暴政會引起暴力，流血只能造成更多的流血，仇仇相報無有已時，只有仁愛之心才能挽救浩劫。在法國大革命的背景下，馬奈特醫生一家主要表現愛與行善，以德發日夫婦為首的聖安東尼區著重反映恨與復仇。穿插著冤獄、情愛和復仇，書中人物便是透過愛恨交鋒，善惡搏鬥來安排塑造：誠樸善良的馬奈特醫生、溫柔多情的露西、正直高尚的達內、熱心敦厚的洛瑞先生、剛直忠誠的普羅斯小姐、仁愛無私的卡頓，無疑都是「愛」的家族成員，艾維蒙兄弟顯然是「惡」的代表，德發日太太是「恨」的化身。整部小說情節錯綜曲折，結構完整嚴謹，具有欲罷不能的吸引力。狄更斯少年時期生活艱苦，深入下層社會，所以對貧苦的人有很深的感情。「雙城記」是的他長篇歷史小說代表作，發表於一八五九年，歷史小說中的故事不一定是真人真事，但卻反映了當時的歷史真實。HarperCollins is proud to present its range of best-loved, essential classics. 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…'Set in Paris and London against the backdrop of the French Revolution, A Tale of Two Cities tells the story of Lucie Manette and her father Alexandre, held captive in Paris's notorious Bastille prison for eighteen years. When Alexandre is finally released, the Manettes find themselves caught up in the lives of a French aristocrat and an English lawyer who compete for the love of Lucie. The ensuing tale of violence and revenge depicts the plight of the peasantry, the brutality of the early revolutionaries, and the menacing shadow of the guillotine.Serialised in Dickens's own literary periodical in 1859, A Tale of Two Cities is one of the best-known works of literature set during the French Revolution.