A Tales of two cities

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

The French Revolution was the most important political change that occurred in Europe in the late eighteenth century. It was not only important for France, but also served as an example for other countries which suffered the oppression of the monarchy. It is considered to have been the beginning of a series of social revolutions that affected human, as well as behavior in their thinking.

The eighteenth century found people's mind prepared for change. In literature we could highlight many writers, but we will focus on Charles Dickens and his bestseller "Tales of Two Cities". The book is set in a specific historical moment, but its characters are those that convey writer's thoughts and concerns.

The writer  exploits different themes as the hypocrisies and idiosyncrasies of the justice system in his book. Dickens also gives us a good look at the justice system in England. On the other side, in France, French citizens take to the streets demanding justice for themselves and their families. The life in England and France seems the best and the worst that it can be. The rulers and ruling classes of both countries may have the best of life, but they are out of touch with the common people. In France, inflation is out of control and an oppressive social system results in intolerable and extreme injustices being committed against French citizens, who believe they have the worst of life.

The English court is able to hand down good verdicts by incorporating Charles’s English court case into the novel, which proves that the English justice system can never be corrupted in the ways that the French will be. Dickens contrasts France's harsh justice system with England's lax.

To conclude and connected to the theme of Justice, in the book the characters fight against some form of imprisonment. Manette finds himself trapped to his shoemaking compulsion in the Bastille, and Carton is struggling against his own personality. From the opening words to the end, the novel establishes the duality: the two cities of the title and the two characters that serve sentences in French jails.

George III

Britain under rule of a mentally diseased King?

The Elector of Hanover became King, when Queen Anne died, and ascended the throne as George I. The Hanoverian Dynasty came to the power. The three of them had different manners, behaviours and methods. It is said that the first two Kings had many aspects in common while the third was completely different. One simple but convincing aspect is that he was the first Hanoverian King who spoke English as his first language. George III is well known in history books for being the "mad king who lost America". But despite his illness, George III was a dedicated and diligent king, who won the respect of his politicians.

In 1786, The British royal family sees its foundations shaken when its greatest exponent, King George III is attacked by a strange and unknown physical illness that leads to the edge of madness. For this disease, which now is known as porphyria, doctors had no cure or treatment. The film "The Madness of King George" describes the behaviour of King George III during his crises and during periods of stability.

The King suffered from several symptoms suchs as colics and mental alterations and in the meantime, Britain was losing its colonies in North America. Those colonies, then, became a nation. George III refused to lose those lands that promised to be useful for their interests.

The king underwent urine analysis and, as his health grew worse and worse, he was restrained by several guards and Doctor Willis who tried a behavioural treatment after being called by Pitt. Thus, the Parliament, which was divided into George’s supporters and the Prince of Wales’ ones, decided to appoint the king’s eldest son as Regent. The latter had married Maria Fitzherbert, who was a Catholic woman, but it turned out to be an illegal marriage because it had been carried out without the King’s consent.

After reading a journal, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, George III’s wife, who was very fond of him, went to the place where his husband was confined and warned him about their son’s intentions. Then, the king was allowed to get back and he could interrupt the Prince of Wales’ ascent to power. In the end, despite his son had been a traitor, King George III would provide an income to him.

Although it is hardly likely for people to accept a mentally unstable person to rule the kingdom, George III gained the support of many people. Perhaps it was like that because he seemed like he was a transparent man and really wanted Great Britain to develop more and more.

In conclusion, as we know, the king had a mentally disorder with a serious illness.A ruler must be serious of the importance of the country to support the hopes of people.These kind of people should be really quiet about the control in the country, but it did not happen.The film described the disadvantages of having a king like George and he showed a lot of signs before he died.People realized that they were ruled by an illness king.