When I taught British Literature, I could hardly wait until Spring semester when we would study
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens as our example of 19th century.
Are you familiar with this work? I could wax on and on about the author's genius use of foreshadowing and the emotional impact of the sacrificial love theme, but that would be the subject of another post.
When I visited Paris in 2011, one of my goals was to revisit the important settings in this novel, most notably the Bastille, Faubourg St. Antoine, and Place de la Concorde, the original location for all the beheadings.
Place de la Concorde is one of the largest public squares in Paris. Today it is known for its magnificent Obelisk representing the end of troubled times and bright hope for the future. It is hard to believe two hundred years ago this was home of
La Guillotine, where thousands of French men and women lost their lives.
As part of the
Paris Museum Pass I mentioned earlier this week, I visited
La Conciergerie, located on the Ile de la Cite near Notre Dame. This little-known museum was the former prison during the French revolution where incarcerated men and women waited their turn to march towards the Guillotine and certain death. The cell of Marie Antoinette is staged to show her final days.
I was most disappointed when I visited the Bastille. Once considered the bastion of the French Revolution (the French celebrate Bastille Day on July 14 the way we celebrate the 4th of July), it is now located next to a busy street, nothing but a few rocks and small plaque remain to commemorate this significant spot.
Faubourg St. Antoine was a prominent feature in the novel. It was home to Monsieur and Madame DeFarge, the local ringleaders of the Revolution. While it is still a thriving neighborhood today, there is nothing here to remind me of the revolution except the slogan outside the hospital:
Liberte, Fraternite, Egalite.
One of my favorite books! It's one of those that I would like to reread at some point.
ReplyDeleteCheers - Ellen | http://thecynicalsailor.blogspot.com/2016/04/r-is-for-raft-up-nancy-drew.html
I taught Brit Lit for seven years - and I re-read the book each and every year. It is SO wonderful...
DeleteOf course! I read A Tale of Two Cities in school (like most of us, I guess), but we had a fantastic Literature teacher who made it seem like a forbidden treat rather than a chore, and got us so involved in it I've reread it a dozen times since then. It's actually the only Dickens I really enjoy, to be honest (blasphemous, irreverent soul that I am). And I did not know there was so very little left of the Bastille... You'd think someone would've rebuilt it, at least in part. How sad. And yet... Maybe the most powerful symbol of all that is lost in any struggle for freedom?
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Molly!
Guilie @ Life In Dogs
I know the teacher makes all the difference in the world in developing a love of literature in the student. We spent nearly three months reading the book - thoroughly analyzing each section. I taught Part 1 - and then the students were responsible for teaching the rest to their classmates. It was a fabulous experience :)
DeleteYou know, I don't think I ever read A Tale of Two Cities! I've always liked Dickens, too. I had no idea there was so little left of the Bastille!
ReplyDeleteIf you like Dickens, then I highly recommend reading this one, Sarah. It is one of his shorter works (under 400 pages). Some criticize the work in that the character development is not as great as his other novels, but oh... the ending!!
DeleteHow I remember reading A Tale of Two Cities when I was in school! (Long time ago) It must have been so exciting to visit the settings from the novel. I love your photographs!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Martha. I really had a great day working my way through the Faubourg St. Antoine :)
DeletePlace de la concorde has gain a very sad memory as of late. Places do have a meaning in people's history.
ReplyDelete@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter - Jazz Age Jazz