A Tale of Two Cities: Darnay's relationships with Stryver and Carton

[profnachos]

I just got done with Book II, Chapter XX. Plea. Carton comes to visit Darnay after his return from his honeymoon. It is quite apparent that he looks down on Carton and is indifferent to Stryver.

I must be missing something here. Stryver and Carton saved Darnay's LIFE, to put it mildly. So I was anticipating a lot more than Darnay's indifference and passive contempt for his former counsel and his aide. But yet, Carton apologizes for his rudeness after the trial. Rudeness? If I had been spared from a medieval death sentence (due process and fair trial were foreign concepts back then), the last thing that would offend me would be my life saver's rudeness.

[Danik 2016]

I quite agree with you there.I think Darnay, who plays the part of the nice guy in these aspects incorporates Dickens` own prejudices.
Stryver himself is a limited and conceited lawyer. He wouldn´t have gone far without Carton´s assistance.

Carton is very talented, but, for reasons the book doesn´t state turns to drinking and debauchery. In Victorian England this would be enough, I guess, to close the bourgeois doors to him.
He prefers to be an shadow assistant to his friend, than embark himself on a successful professional career. He feels guilty about his choice, but one doesn´t know anything about his past story, that led to these choices.