Dr. Manette is the strongest character in the novel. Even though he was brutally imprisoned for over fifteen years, he is determined to return to society for his daughter despite his mental state. "He spoke with the diffidence of a man who knew how slight a thing would overset the delicate organisation of the mind, and yet with the confidence of a man who had slowly won his assurance out of personal endurance and distress." (211)Dr. Manette is not ignorant or naive of his situation but is determined to take full advantage of the second chance Lucie has given him.
Dr. Manette relies on Lucie in order to give him emotional freedom from his troubled past and self-imprisonment. He constantly emphasizes to Lucie and others that he needs her in order to release himself. On page 48 when he first meets Lucie in his prison cell it says, "his cold white head mingled with her radiant hair, which warmed and lighted it as though it were the light of Freedom shining on him." And when Dr. Manette has a relapse into the habits he had when he was imprisoned, Lucie "walks together with him, up and down, till her love and company have brought him to himself." (102) Dr. Manette truly believes that Lucie is the only way to his own personal freedom and is grateful he has her to save him.
Dr. Manette is in love with Lucie. "'Lucie, I recal these old troubles in the reason that I have to-night for loving you better than words can tell, and thanking God for my great happiness. My thoughts, when they were wildest, never rose near the happiness that I have known with you, and that we have before us.' He embraced her, solemnly commended her to heaven, and humbly thanked Heaven for having bestowed her on him" (17, 198). Lucie is everything to Dr. Manette. That is very clear. It is also important that when Dr. Manette first sees Lucie, he thinks she is his wife. She looks identical to his wife at the time before he was locked up. That might be suggesting the fact that Dr. Manette will fall in love with Lucie, because she is both his everything and looks identical to his love.
Dr. Manette is the strongest character in the novel. Even though he was brutally imprisoned for over fifteen years, he is determined to return to society for his daughter despite his mental state. "He spoke with the diffidence of a man who knew how slight a thing would overset the delicate organisation of the mind, and yet with the confidence of a man who had slowly won his assurance out of personal endurance and distress." (211)Dr. Manette is not ignorant or naive of his situation but is determined to take full advantage of the second chance Lucie has given him.
ReplyDeleteDr. Manette relies on Lucie in order to give him emotional freedom from his troubled past and self-imprisonment. He constantly emphasizes to Lucie and others that he needs her in order to release himself. On page 48 when he first meets Lucie in his prison cell it says, "his cold white head mingled with her radiant hair, which warmed and lighted it as though it were the light of Freedom shining on him." And when Dr. Manette has a relapse into the habits he had when he was imprisoned, Lucie "walks together with him, up and down, till her love and company have brought him to himself." (102) Dr. Manette truly believes that Lucie is the only way to his own personal freedom and is grateful he has her to save him.
ReplyDeleteDr. Manette is in love with Lucie. "'Lucie, I recal these old troubles in the reason that I have to-night for loving you better than words can tell, and thanking God for my great happiness. My thoughts, when they were wildest, never rose near the happiness that I have known with you, and that we have before us.' He embraced her, solemnly commended her to heaven, and humbly thanked Heaven for having bestowed her on him" (17, 198). Lucie is everything to Dr. Manette. That is very clear. It is also important that when Dr. Manette first sees Lucie, he thinks she is his wife. She looks identical to his wife at the time before he was locked up. That might be suggesting the fact that Dr. Manette will fall in love with Lucie, because she is both his everything and looks identical to his love.
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