Noblesse Oblige In A Tale Of Two Cities

By definition, noblesse oblige is the inferred responsibility of the privileged people to act with generosity and nobility toward those less privileged. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens expresses how the concept of noblesse oblige is heavily neglected because the aristocracy has a deep hatred for the third estate, the aristocracy uses their riches for their own personal gain, and the rich make no effort to help the less fortunate. The upper class of France during the French Revolution constituted only three percent of the population, yet a majority of those in the first and second estate disrespect and detest the third estate completely. Monsieur the Marquis, a character in the text, displays a strong hatred for his inferiors on …show more content…
Most were so caught up with themselves that they failed to notice …show more content…
Some people, such as Mr. Stryver, see it as disrespectful or even sinful to give anything away to the poor, that they so deeply abhor, when Stryver makes the statement; “[h]ere is a fellow, who… abandoned his property to the vilest scum of the earth” (Dickens 185). Mr. Stryver becomes thoroughly offended that someone who had large amounts of property and power would let it all go to waste to “dogs” that did not deserve it. With this, he is referring to his conversation with Charles Darnay about the current Marquis of Paris when he fled the country and abandoned all of his belongings, his life, and his status. Members of the French government truly believed that they were the only beings that mattered and that it should always remain that way. Completely abandoned is the concept of noblesse oblige in this regard because the privileged people are extremely selfish. This selfishness magnifies the unjust reasoning aristocrats use to avoid helping the