Most of the time, we’re in other characters’ heads. Unfortunately, it’s also pretty much the only set of reflections we get from Charles. His latent uneasiness had been, that bad aims were being worked out in his own unhappy land by bad instruments, and that he who could not fail to know that he was better than they, was not there, trying to do something to stay bloodshed, and assert the claims of mercy and humanity. Our narrator delves into his thoughts at this moment: We do get a bit of moral reflection when Charles decides to head back to France, but it’s only about two paragraphs’ worth of Charles' thoughts. Most interestingly, Dickens doesn’t really spend much time developing Charles' character. For a hero, Charles sure seems to let other people do most of his saving. And, of course, Sydney changes places with Charles on the night before his execution. Sydney Carton gets Charles out of his first trial Doctor Manette uses his influence to free him in France. That brings us to a rather interesting part of Charles’ character: even though he seems to be the hero of this little tale, he’s frequently not the man who forces any actions. Of course, Charles doesn’t know that Doctor Manette was falsely imprisoned by Charles’ father and uncle… perhaps it’s better for him that he remains in ignorance. That’s when he feels obligated to let Doctor Manette in on his secret identity.

He even moves into her father’s house in Soho. (Actually, he’s tried as an aristocrat, but at the time, 'aristocrat' and 'traitor' were pretty synonymous.) As if that weren’t enough, he’s finally re-tried in France-on the same charges!ĭuring in between all those trials, however, he manages to meet and marry Lucie Manette. Then he’s tried as a traitor to the French Republic. First, he’s tried as a traitor to the English crown. The man gets into three (count 'em, three) court cases over the course of the novel. He leaves his land (and his inheritance) in the dust, sets up shop as a lowly French tutor in London, and begins life over as Charles Darnay.ĭespite his attempts to distance himself from the scandals and horrors of the French aristocracy, Charles can’t seem to keep himself out of trouble. Born a French nobleman, he decides to be the one aristocrat in France who has a conscience. (Click the character infographic to download.) Riches to RagsĬharles is the guy who’s got it all.

Charles darnay a tale of two cities