Charles Dickens's novel A Tale of Two Cities is a story of intricately woven plot lines driven by intriguing characters. The female characters are often primary forces in driving the other players and advancing the plot. It's been said that Dickens uses the women in his story to somewhat questionable ends; some say that he merely uses their womanhood for symbolism and crudely limits their portrayal to the reader to their rather boring superlatives. However this is not the case, as the beauty of Dickens's female characters, especially one Lucie Manette, lies in their actions and dialogue, and these techniques are used to paint a more subtle picture of their personalities and roles in the story. The female characters (namely Lucie) in A Tale of Two Cities is more than just a crude symbol, and through her underlying qualities and irresistible embodiment of the 19th century ideal of...