International Journal of Literature and Arts

2014; 2(4): 98-103

Published online July 20, 2014 (http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ijla)
doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20140204.13
ISSN: 2331-0553 (Print); ISSN: 2331-057X (Online)

Cultural hegemony in Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two

Cities
Meysam Ahmadi
Department of English Language and Literature, College of Humanities, Boroujerd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Boroujerd, Iran

Email address:
[email protected]

To cite this article:

Meysam Ahmadi. Cultural Hegemony in Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities. International Journal of Literature and Arts.
Vol. 2, No. 4, 2014, pp. 98-103. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20140204.13

Abstract: This study delineates the use of cultural hegemony in Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities (1859) through
the vantage points of Italian critic Antonio Gramsci (1891-1937) who clarifies domination of the ruling class over ruled
class. Cultural hegemony is the mastery of the middle class and governing groups among the lower divisions. Antonio
Gramsci declares that the only means of keeping cultural hegemony by super leaders is not the handling of power and
coercion; instead, consent, language, use of intellectual men and educational instruments are the ways regarding the
implementation of cultural hegemony. In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens expresses the effects England and France,
and manifests the tyrannical events of French Revolution. The beginning of A Tale of Two Cities asserts extreme tyranny
and a violation of aristocrats as well as its ending through which the rebels punish sovereigns and the king after the French
Revolution. Dickens also shows the ideals of the aristocracy with highlighting the function of cultural hegemony in France
and England. Gramsci illustrates that the upper floors by way of indirect control over the mass media, educate their own
feelings and values in society because domination is often taken out by means of consent, not compulsion. Ultimately, this
research looks for the signs of cultural hegemony, and depicts the alarming events of French Revolution.

Keywords: Cultural Hegemony, Consent, Domination, Intellectual Men, Language

but even if it holds it firmly in its grasp, it must continue to lead as

1. Introduction well» (Fontana 141).
The present study concentrates on Dickens's A Tale of Consent and language are from other main ways of
Two Cities based on Antonio Gramsci theories, including keeping the power and hegemony, by which governors and
the presentation of cultural hegemony, domination, consent, elite have indirect surveillance over mass media, and
and the mapping of language and intellectuality in consent states the subjugation of ruled class through
hegemony. Gramsci's ideologies about cultural hegemony participate in all the governmental affairs.
manifest the supremacy of one division over another class In parliamentary law to carry out the methods of cultural
of society in which the bourgeoisie imposes their power hegemony, upper classes do not elaborate coercion or
over lower class and diffuse their ideologies, opinions, and oppression; rather, they use persuasion and conformity.
values. Events, such as consent, political domination, and Their instrument to exert practices of cultural hegemony is
intellectual are broad elements that can be seen in Charles mass media or even language. For Gramsci, “state is the total
Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities (1859). Gramsci argues: complex of practical and theoretical activities with which
«The supremacy of social groups expresses itself in three the ruling class not only justifies and maintain its
different ways: as domination and as intellectual and moral domination, but manages to win the active consent of those
leadership. A social group dominates antagonistic groups, which it over whom it rules” (1971: 244).
tends to liquidate or to subjugate perhaps even by armed force; it In A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens considers England
leads kindred and allied groups. A social group can, and indeed problems rather than France, and he is more worried about
must, already exercise leadership before winning governmental future and what will be happened than about past. Dickens
power (this one of the principal condition for the winning of such also depicts that the London turmoil is less clear than in
power) It subsequently becomes dominant when it exercises power bloodshed Paris. Moreover, the novel clarifies the
murderous and tyrannical events in London, while are not
99 Meysam Ahmadi: Cultural Hegemony in Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities

comparable with revolutionary Paris. 3. Findings and Discussions

Charles Dickens asserts the horrible events. To approve
with the research’s topic, it is fundamental to analyze and Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812. In A Tale
find out the events and signs in Dickens's A Tale of Two of Two Cities, he states both the sensations and the darkness
Cities, which presents the superiority of aristocrats over the of revolution. He is concerned about modern society in all
lower level. In this novel, Dickens declares the exertion of his novels. Dickens is known as a social reformer with a
power and domination over the mob and individual as an deep feeling for the lower class. His works, which are
inheritance. The aristocrats also apply the persuasion and complicated, dense, and meditative, are also characterized
leadership as social orders and they train at a distribution of with melodramatic intensity and humor. Many of his titles
dominant value in church, school, institutions. and aspects are replicated. Charles Dickens was a strong
writer for having qualitative works that marked for their
depth and social occasion. In spite of his shortfall of a formal
2. Materials and Methods education, Daily says, “Dickens revealed in his novels a
Antonio Gramsci elucidates the constitution of people’s mastery of English language and a sophisticated depth of
culture, beliefs, and explanations, by ruling class. Mastery is a thought that have endeared him to many generations of
great study that cannot be achieved by military unit, but only students and readers” (11). Dickens, who addressed social
through news, signs, and the dissemination of symbols and issues and historic events with meditative prospect, is seen
data. In this respect, the instruments of Dickens for showing as the greatest British author of all times.
the domination of England and France are different and he At the beginning of novel, Dickens primarily describes
depicts the creation of culture by higher classes without using the dark and light situation of London and Paris. More to the
the military and coercion. In A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens point, he clarifies that Dr. Alexandre Manette’s
describes the harsh moments for French people at the moment imprisonment not only had been falsely incarcerated in the
of French Revolution in which fierce and vengeance only Bastille but also he had been left in that location to die. In
culminate bloodshed hearts of freedom fighters. 1775, Mr. Jarvis Lorry, an official of Tellson's Bank in
As Dickens describes in A Tale of Two Cities, there are London infers that her father, Dr. Alexandre Manette, who
many signs of rule in the novel, although the lawful was lost eighteen years ago, is still alive. On arriving in Paris,
instruments such as military, institutions, the army and as they found him in the house of Defarge. The magnet has
easily as the spies search for anyone and anything, are not aged prematurely, and has lost both his memory and his
capable to perform their work successfully, since such interest. Mr. Lorry and Lucie take her father back to London.
lawful organizations are in the favor of the bourgeoisie. The With love and passion, Lucie organizes to be attentive of her
principles and principles are not frail or fragile and compel father back to wellness and awareness.
people to interpret the rules, not through compulsion, merely Five years later, in 1780, a young Frenchman, named
by imposing their political orientation, culture, and value. Charles Darnay, is sentenced for being a traitor and a spy. All
Although the Charles’s trial in England was mistaken, the the same, it is Sydney Carton in the courtroom, who shows the
French Tribunal is stated as even more horrible, a general similarity between the prisoner and himself to the defense
background of justice. lawyer Mr. Stryver. The jury thus realizes that it could be a
According to the critics such as Dominic Strinati, and pattern of incorrect identity, and Darnay is acquitted. After a
Antonio Gramsci, who study different aspects of cultural few years, and both Darnay and Carton fall in love with Lucie
hegemony subjects, including hegemony, and political Manette. Lucie gets married with Darnay, who is a French
domination, this report focuses on the concepts of cultural bourgeoisie and repudiated his inheritance and now survives
hegemony and its related events. Furthermore, it examines in London under an organized name and works as a teacher.
Dickens’s ideas to watch just about definitions for the His uncle, the Marquis St. Evremonde, is an infamous man for
concepts of consent and culture to sustain the hypothesis his over coercion and inflection. The French Revolution
based on Dickens’s own opinion on the cultural hegemony breaks out in all its rage with the storming of the Bastille.
in harmonic frameworks. Darnay secretary returns to Paris to save his faithful servant,
By regarding all discussions, supposing that cultural Gabelle. Darnay is seized and jailed.
hegemony and constitution of culture occurred in the Then, Lucie, her daughter, Dr. Manette, and Mr. Lorry
societies which experience political domination and quickly rush to Paris to save Darnay. Madame Defarge,
hegemony. This report aims to consider the subjects such as however, seeks personal vengeance against the Evremonde
political domination, consent, and hegemony through an family, for the cruel Marquis had suffered her sister and
analysis of Dickens’s novel, A Tale of Two Cities, and its assassinated her brother. Darnay is re-arrested, attempted,
functions. In other words, cultural hegemony and its effects and condemned to destruction. The story ends when Sydney
that affect the spirit of A Tale of Two Cities characters will be Carton tends to secure Darnay's life by taking his place. The
hashed out in details. ritual killing is made to complete a promise to Lucie, whom
he enjoys. Carton feels noble about his daddy and knows
that he will be in the hearts of the Darnays perpetually.
 International Journal of Literature and Arts 2014; 2(4): 98-103 100

4. Cultural Hegemony the dominant fundamental group this consent is historically

by the prestige (and consequent confidence) which the
Regarding the ancient time the term cultural hegemony is dominant group enjoys because of its position and function
originally derived from ancient Greek. More to the point, in the world of production” (Ibid: 31). The term of consent
Italian critic Antonio Gramsci bounded the theory of has been suggested as background or base of the right to
cultural hegemony, and he defines it as, “domination of a examine political power and identity of that power. They
culturally diverse society by the ruling class, who simply approved that the force of the governor is somehow
manipulate the culture of society, beliefs, explanations, flow. This sort of social club could not remain in confront of
perceptions, and values that the ruling class behaviors a developing society. Masses that are subject to hegemony
become the world view that is imposed and accepted as the are scarcely aware of it; at best, they exclusively have a
cultural norms” (1985: 26). Nineteenth century refers to brooding sense of limitation and an ambiguous desire for an
cultural predomination of one state upon another state, alternative management. According to Strinati, “people can
which is a kind of indirect leadership. Bourgeoisie rules accept the prevailing order because they are compelled to do
lower classes through intimidate to intervention rather than so by devoting their time to making a livelihood, or because
using direct military force that is antagonism and they cannot conceive another way of organizing society, and
infestation. During the twentieth century, the domination therefore fatalistically accept the world as it is” (174).
bounded to engage the cultural domination of ruling class Gramsci believes that the consent mourners might be the
in order to fabricate the social symbols of ruled class. The clarification of very varied beliefs, which can be split into
super leaders can predominantly impose their strange three divisions: first, one may admit because of the danger
viewpoints as usual and inevitable. of the resolving powers of opposition, which may generate
Gramsci was interested in cultural domination, which led penal destitution, including the loss of pride or personality.
to research in class and politics. He develops complicated Second, one consents because in response to external
beliefs of class struggle in which the cultural role is provocation, one may naturally expect for certain objects in
significant. If the ruling class begins to destruct, making the certain methods. Conformity in this state is a matter of
opportunity for a lower class to increase its restrictions and silent attendance in an organized kind of activity. The third
create a broad movement capable of battling the norms and event is attached to the term of legitimacy, with a notion
getting the hegemony. Nevertheless, if the chance is not that the demands for consensus are more or less explained
taken out, the parallel of forces will shift back to the and even out.
dominant group, which recreates its hegemony based on a Another hypothesis that is explained in this paper is the
new model of mergers. Cultural hegemony suggests that the role of intellectual in creating a hegemonic society. For
fashionable cultural orders of a society are imposed by the Gramsci, intellectuals have formed the lands that have
ruling group (bourgeois cultural hegemony) should not be formed individuals and each grade constitutes one or more
understood as normal and inevitable, but must be considered groups of intellectuals. Hence, if the lower class is applied to
as artificial social principles in governing bodies, nations, be succeeded in becoming hegemonic, it must also form its
exercises, and so on. As Gramsci states, “lower grades are own intellectuals to spread out a new notion. The universe of
constantly subject to the natural action of higher classes, still intellectual cannot exclusively increase the degree of lower
when they rebel and rise up: only permanent victory breaks stratum, but the invention and innovation are more important
their subordination, and that's not immediately” (1971: 207). to expand the eternity of them. Intellectual can from the life
Gramsci viewed that domination is not only coercive, but of lower scores through the creation of new estimates
also symbolic and that all political challenges are challenges regarding the escalation of aristocracy.
of messages, media, and information. Gramsci’s insight is that Subsequently, intellectuals may participate in the more
domination can be achieved at the frames of politics, general administrative organizations, which combine the
instruction, entertainment, messages, and codes. Domination economic activities with those of society as a whole. Gramsci
simply needs the foundation of the way of life as normal and asserts, “by intellectuals must be understood not those strata
expected, the naming of the dominated with the dominators, commonly which are to describe this term, but in general the
and the insidious institution of the fashionable ideology as entire social stratum which exercises an organizational role in
normal and inevitable. Gramsci asserts, “a social group has to the wider sense, whether in the sphere of production, or in that
exercise leadership before it attains power, but even when it of culture, or in that of political administration emerging
won the debate, and it must go on to run as well” (Ibid 156). forms of opinion” (qtd. in Jones 97).
As domination reaches the internal cosmos of the individuals, Gramsci defines two kinds of intellectuals: traditional
resistance is often impossible. intellectual, and organic intellectual. The initiative is called
Antonio Gramsci manifests that culture is created through traditional intellectuals. Gramsci states that the traditional
consent and coercion. Gramsci expresses consent as the intellectual is inspired from ruling elite for achieving
manner in which people should be engaged directly or conformity between government and society. They are direct
indirectly in the ruling actions. According to Gramsci, “the agents of the ruling classes, who implement lower class
spontaneous consent given by the great masses of the functions of social hegemony and political dominance.
population to the general direction imposed on social life by Gramsci asserts that journalists, thinkers, and broadcasters
101 Meysam Ahmadi: Cultural Hegemony in Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities

may still believe that they are best intellectuals. However, in «At all events, the fact that the state/government, conceived as
the modern world, instructive education approximately an autonomous force, should reflect back its prestige upon the
bound to industrial work even at the most archaic and class upon which it is based, is of the greatest practical and
incompetent level must organize the creation of the new sort theoretical importance, and deserves to be analyzed fully if one
of intellect. This exists behind his difference between rural wants a more realistic concept of the state itself» (1971:545).
and urban intellectuals. Gramsci urges the traditional This predomination must have coherent economic
intellectual as, “the traditional character of intellect: the backgrounds, meaning that if hegemony is artistic, religious,
literary man, the philosopher, the poet […] the journalist and educational it should have economic bases. Ruling
who considers himself to be a literary man, and philosopher class, including Manette who is really weakened by the
and poet believe to be the true intellectuals” (1971: 94). murderous action of Marquis and French aristocrats, has
Gramsci declares the organic intellectuals have been more insulted some characters in A Tale of Two Cities. Bloom
directly connected with the dominant phase of output. describes Manette as:
Gramsci argues, “every social group, coming into existence «When we consider Dr. Manette’s conduct, however, we find
creates together with itself, organically, one or more strata of that, whether Dickens consciously intended it to be or not, the
intellectuals” (Ibid 5). While some organic intellectuals, doctor of Beauvais is a good psychiatrist, at least in the handling
such as the industry specialists present services for capitalist of his own illness. His shoemaking is superficially pictured as a
within the generator frame, and in this regard their actions symptom of mental regression and decay, but in its inception, it
make it within the land of what Gramsci terms the economic must have been a sign of rebellion against madness rather than a
and material demands of the capitalist class, this class must symptom thereof. Shoemaking, truly an example of vocational
at the same time choose other intellectuals with the power to therapy, was the only contact with reality that his distracted mind,
be a creator of society in general. They belong to the same otherwise cut from reality, possessed» (91).
historical time as a young group, which constitutes and Charles Dickens describes the trial of Darnay as a very
manipulates them and these intellectuals exercise a peculiar sensitive moment for him and viewers in the court:
part in all fields of social actuality. «Silence in the court! Charles Darnay had yesterday pleaded Not
Gramsci concentrates on words as a political matter, such Guilty to an indictment denouncing him (with infinite jingle and
as, to government policy around language, instructive words, jangle) for that he was a false traitor to our serene, illustrious,
and everyday language practices. Language spreads excellent, and so forth, prince, our Lord the King, by reason of his
extensively, not by ability or state coercion, ruler or police having, on divers occasions, and by divers means and ways,
action, but by speakers understanding the value and benefit of assisted Lewis, the French King, in his wars against our said
new languages, sentences, or terms. However, the thought serene, illustrious, excellent, and so forth» (Jones 80).
that people have generally freely selected over the language Gramsci expresses that the governing class was able to
they apply, the word people speak, is clearly misleading word spread its beliefs in institutions, schools, and popular
or method to access their favorable effects. Gramsci argues: culture, which implied that the coercion was only one
«That not even a national language can be created dimension of domination, the other being consensus, or
artificially, by order of the state; that the Italian language leadership, which invariably goes to some phase of
was being formed itself and would be formed only in so far spontaneous interests. While Gramsci still searched the
as the shared life of the nation gave rise to numerous and invention of a proletarian hegemony, he advertised a new
stable contacts between various parts of the nations; that the sense for understanding existing hegemony.
spread of a particular language is the productive activity of In A Tale of Two Cities Sydney Carton is under the
the writings, trade and commerce of the people who speak domination of Stryver who is constantly about to despise
that particular language» (Ives 57). him. Carton's nickname is jackal which insults him in the
Sometimes this means expressing difference, face of other, Stryver is called as a lion. Stryver sees
understanding with the listener. This is especially common, himself as a lion and Carton as the jackal. Bloom describes
on differences in them. Gramsci declares constitution of Carton as, “he may be a jackal, but not by choice. He is a
language as an organized language for people by which the man of good abilities and good emotions, but incapable of
government keeps superiority and domination over ruled his own help and his own happiness” (107). In short, he is
classes. Thus, the use of speech and its distribution among not naturally a jackal; instead of the London and Paris mob,
people served as a political dynamic for Gramsci. On that he is not nourished by vengeance and slaughter. Stryver
point are unlimited numbers of varied languages, which works scarce and walks honorably in the sunlight, while
reduce the ability to transmit. Carton quickly traces scraps at night. Though certainly
more intelligent than Stryver, Carton requires social
beauties and the taste of victory, and will never match
5. Cultural Hegemony of A Tale of Two Stryver’s achievement.
Cities’ Characters The climax of domination of aristocracy appears among
St. Evremonde family and particularly Marquis, who
Gramsci clarifies: supposes cruelty as fantasy. His class is stupid and all the
people are naught to him. Marquis runs over a kid and kills
 International Journal of Literature and Arts 2014; 2(4): 98-103 102

him by a carriage horribly, but he does not care about what what happed to the gold-haired doll?” (Dickens 104).
was going on and get a funny looking to commoners Gramsci concentrates on words that are constituted with
around children. Then Evremonde believes, “repression is powers. Gramsci’s thoughts have been efficient to analyze
the only lasting philosophy. The dark deference of fear and how power operates within these societies. His belief of
slavery, my friend, observed the Marquis, will prevent the hegemony implies some of the phenomena that the term of
dogs obedient to the whip, as long as this roof, facing up to ideology describes but adds to ideology a concentration on
it, shuts out the sky” (Dickens 142). institutions and actions as well as beliefs and ideological
Gramsci expresses that the individuals voluntarily systems. Gramsci continues in elaborating his belief of
consent to a social system that makes them alienated and language, which in language, at that place is a particular
weakened. He also stressed that the role-plays a noteworthy assumption of the cosmos. Elsewhere he repeats this matter,
part in saving this consent. At the same time, he was emphasizing how approximately language is close to
mistaken that a specific class of the middle class created understanding and thinking, including how the shortage of
hegemony. Gramsci’s work can substitute the hegemony of language and hegemony, and cognition of particular
a year with the hegemony of a dominant group, and, by languages is limited.
discussing that the current hegemony is more cultivated,
decentralized, and stronger than domination by a ruling 6. Conclusion
group. This text file is issued because it keeps people
cautious against the hegemonic systems in the present Gramsci considers the constitution of common people
lawful system that prevent alternative classifications that through political and cultural instruments, as though they are
might put up an intimate appropriate with collective under control or pressure of hegemonic forces, whether by
obligations to liberalism, justice, health. coercion or consensus. The rulers use consensus models
However, the Charles’s trial in England was mistaken; the rather than exert coercion and punishment to achieve their
French court is shown every bit even more disastrous, a favorable goals. Gramsci also states the inseparability of
general theme of justice. The reported text of the opening coercion and consent. The recommended methods for
indictment’s insolent pre-judgment of Darnay (according to governors to dominate over lower classes are education and
the original transcript of the De La Motte trial) is lent pace make a unified language; then, constitution of intellectual
and play through its pressure of the opening mission, as man among different institutions.
Charles Dickens describes the trial of Darnay as a very Most of the novel’s characters are virtually below the
tender moment for him and observers in the courtyard, political power of aristocrats who impose their culture and
“silence in the courtroom! Charles Darnay had yesterday beliefs to the commoners in order to keep their aristocracy.
pleaded not guilty to an indictment denouncing him (with Stryver tries to dominate in the world. He is careless of
infinite jingle and jangle) for that he was a false traitor to our sacrifice because he is very a selfish man. Carton
serene, illustrious, excellent, and so forth” (qtd. in Jones 80). interestingly makes himself a servant to Stryver.
The intellectuals intend to make the social hegemony of
a year, their domination is as the conformity in the
generative world, and their instrument for those classes is References
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