"A Tale of Two Cities" begins with the first sentence: "This is the best time, this is the worst time; This is the age of wisdom, this is the age of stupidity; This is a period of faith, this is a period of doubt; This is the season of light, this is the season of darkness; This is the spring of hope, this is the winter of disappointment; There are all kinds of things in front of people, and there is nothing in front of people; People go straight to heaven and people go straight to hell. "

A Tale of Two Cities is a long historical novel by British writer Charles Dickens, which was first published in 1859. The novel was written in the 1950s of 19, which coincided with the rapid development of British capitalist economy. The evil brought by the development of capitalism and the poverty of working people's lives have led to the extreme resentment and dissatisfaction of the lower classes.

British society is on the verge of social revolution, which is very similar to the social situation in France at the end of 18. Dickens' comparison between the two cities gave reference and warning to the British society at that time.

A Tale of Two Cities describes the historical background of tense social atmosphere through Dickens' elaborate structure, and successfully shows the pain and conflict between classes. When reading the works, readers can't find the reason why 18 magnet was imprisoned, which leads to suspense. However, Dickens has cleverly captured the readers' heartstrings and kept them in a more curious plot.