"Dickens, Charles - A Tale of Two Cities" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickens Charles)

mouths of native French speakers. How does he solve the problem? By
literally translating French expressions and sentence structure.
Depending on your tastes, the result may seem a bit stilted, or
provide just the right "foreign" accent.

A TALE OF TWO CITIES: POINT OF VIEW

The story is told nearly entirely in the third person, by a narrator
who has French history and the layout of 18th-century London at his
fingertips. He tells us what each character is feeling and thinking,
and shifts from the consciousness of one person to another almost at
will. Technically speaking, he's an omniscient and intrusive
narrator. This means he's ever-present, leading us into moral
judgments about history, people, and social practices.

In a few instances the narrator takes a first-person point of view.
As "I" or "we," he comments in a personal, introspective way on human
nature. One result is to draw us into the fear and excitement of the
Darnay party's escape from France.

A TALE OF TWO CITIES: FORM AND STRUCTURE

Dickens' own ideas about content, plus exterior requirements,
dictated the form of his novel.

1. A TALE AS EXPERIMENT

Departing from his usual leisurely approach to storytelling, Dickens
tries to develop character through a fast-moving plot. The actions
are meant to speak louder than the dialogue. As a result, the novel
is tied to its complex plot, and much space is needed simply to tell
the story.

2. LONDON AND PARIS

Hoping to contrast two great cities, Dickens shifts the action
between London and Paris. For many readers the Paris sections are
more memorable. Perhaps, having expertly evoked London in other
novels, Dickens wanted to concentrate on new territory.

3. WEEKLY INSTALLMENTS

Dickens had to publish A Tale in weekly serial form. He sought to
attract and hold a large audience. Reflecting these requirements,
nearly all of A Tale's chapters contain action or plot information,
and end unresolved, or with a "hook." How do you react to being left
dangling at the end of each chapter? Some readers enjoy being drawn
in by Dickens' skillfully applied suspense. Others, while
recognizing the artistry involved, may feel their emotions are being
manipulated.