SOCIAL STRATIFICATION REFLECTED IN CHARLES DICKENS’S A TALE OF

TWO CITIES: A MARXIST APPROACH

Background of the Research

Literature is a product of art that uses language as its medium. As an art form,
literature has grown and developed to fill human civilization. Literary works are created
due to dialogue, contemplation, and the author's reaction to the environment and life and
are a miniature of life with all its problems. The themes, ideas, and ideas of the author are
sourced from people's lives. The adoption of the social life of society in the form of
literary works also raises the problems that occur in society imaginatively. This is
supported by Wellek and Warren (1963) state that the term literature seems best if we
limit it to the art of literature, that is, to imaginative literature. The imagination of the
author also produces literature. Literature is not just a document of facts, and it is not just
the collection of actual events though it may happen in real life. Literature can create its
world as a product of unlimited imagination. Literature can be classified into fiction or
non-fiction and poetry or prose and has significant forms such as novels, novellas, plays,
poems, and short stories.

The novel is one of the literary works that is considered the most authored so that in
learning and life, the novel is considered popular as an insightful teaching and
entertainment medium. Based on Ristri Wahyuni (2014), the novel is new prose that tells
the story of the life journey of the main actor, which contains conflict and is very
interesting for readers to read more about the story. Based on this opinion, it can be
concluded that the novel is a work of fiction that presents or tells the life of a character in
detail with various kinds of problems he faces. The novel is one of the literary works that
reveal the problems that occur in society. The novels have various themes and contents,
including those concerning social problems that occur in society, including those related
to social stratification, because every individual in society has a different social status.

The issue of social stratification has been discussed in several sciences. Social
stratification is the attention of scientists in the field and becomes the authors' attention in
the literary world. Social stratification is a translation from Latin, namely stratum or
strata, which means layers or levels and socius, which mean friends or society. Based on
Karl Marx's theory (1865), modern society has only two classes of people: the
Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat. The Bourgeoisies are the owners of the means of
production: the factories, businesses, and equipment needed to produce wealth. The
Proletariat is the workers. The multi-layered system is only a concept of social reality that
explains the existence of social stratification because it is motivated by the existence of
values that are valued in society. This social stratification system is a social reality.
Researchers are interested in analyzing social stratification because humans are the
building blocks of society. Usually, life in society, humans or community members wants
always to be appreciated and respected. Surely this will be the seed that can foster a
system of layers in society. Something valued in society can be of economic value,
power, knowledge, piety, rank, and honorable descent, which results in social
stratification. Its manifestation is the higher and lower classes and society's lack of
balance in distributing rights and obligations, responsibilities, social values , and
influence among members of society. Basically, the rights and obligations of every
human being are the same in all respects. This is what causes the researcher to be
interested in researching social stratification. The researcher wants to know more deeply
what the causes are behind the existence of layers in society.

This study will analyze and describe the forms of social stratification contained in the
novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Sacrifice is the central theme in the
classic novel, with the background of the French revolution depicting the struggle of the
lower class people against the cruelty and greed of the aristocratic groups during their
reign. "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens is a novel that describes social
stratification through social aspects, namely social stratification as an irrelevant element
and an intrinsic element such as the role of the characters through the expressions,
dialogues, and actions of the characters used by Charles Dickens. This is why this novel
was chosen as the object of research. This research uses a Marxist approach by Karl
Marx. Marxism is a thought initiated by a prominent philosopher and theorist in the 19th
century named Karl Marx. Marx's thought undoubtedly became a stimulus for the
development of sociology, economics, philosophy, politics, and culture. Marx's theories
were never perceived as intellectual thought but as an attempt by Marx to improve living
conditions and the environment to be free from arbitrary oppression. Therefore, the Karl
Marx approach was chosen to support the analysis carried out by the author. The research
aims to describe the forms of social stratification in the novel The Tale of Two Cities and
describe the upheaval of the lower class people against the cruelty and greed of
aristocratic groups during their rule and the forms of social stratification that exist in it.
Finding and Results

“It was the best of time, it was the worst of time, it was the age of wisdoms, it was the time
foolishness, it was the epoch of believe, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of
light, it was the season of darkness, it was the season of spring, it was the season of winter of
the despair , we had everything before us, we had nothing before us we were all going to
direct to the other way-in short, the period was so far like the present period, that time of
noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative
degree of comparison only ( p.1)”.

From the quoatiton above , we know that the early chapter of this novel, the period in
which the novel is made, depicts a story that begins about fifteen years before the French
revolution. This era is a time when many people think they are living in the best of times,
while others decry it as the worst of times. The opening of the novel shows the conditions of
society in France and England. The novel's opening line is striking, for it consists of an
excellent severe that contradicts its meaning. Therefore, Dickens conveys that the novel is set
at the best times for some people and the worst times for others from the opening sentence.
Charles Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities with a tightly structured plot; it progresses
through very detailed and vivid images. The setting of this novel is very realistic about the
period. Dickens begins the story by describing the atmosphere in England by describing
poverty, economy, general occupation and strong communities that symbolize the social
stratification of society. However, life in England and France seems to be paradoxically at its
best and worst, indicating class conflict. The classes are upper, middle and lower classes.
Therefore, the proletariat formed a community to revolt against the power of the aristocratic
community.

In France, uncontrolled inflation and an oppressive social system resulted in

intolerable and extreme injustice perpetrated against the lower classes, who believed they had
the worst life possible. For example, the nobility forced the proletariat to pay many taxes and
expensive food and restricted freedom. The French aristocrats exercised complete freedom to
persecute and deprive people of the lower classes. This fact is illustrated roughly in Doctor
Manette's prison manuscript, which details how one of Evrémonde's brothers took advantage
of his privilege to harness a retainer into a chariot and push him like an animal to his death. “I
am weary, weary, weary-worn down by misery; I can not read what I have written with this
gaunt hand” (p.412). They treated them as slaves, and the nobility demanded that the lower
classes obey their orders by using their power. The upper class doesn't care about the
suffering of the lower class; they only think about themselves and their community. The bad
manner of the aristocrats is expressed in the quotation below:

“You dogs” said the Marquis, calmly without raising his voice. ”I would willingly ride over
anyone of you threw that, I would crush him under my carriage wheels.” They were like
slaves-so frightened of the nobles that not one of the men dared look at him eyes” (p.39)

The quote above shows how afraid the lower classes are of the nobility. No one dared to face
and fight for their rights and freedoms to the nobles. They, the proletariat, have no power
whatsoever to express their will and rights.

The economy grew and became more productive and more prosperous; it was evident
that profits benefited only a few in the French revolution. The middle and lower classes
appear to be the victims of France's widening wealth gap. The wealth gap in the French
revolution widened because of differences in taxation, differences in investment in stocks and
bonds, and unfair employment opportunities in the manufacturing trade revolution.

The struggle of the lower class people creates a gap between classes (middle and
upper) in manners. Therefore, they become differentiated through economic processes.
Indeed, one of the factors that cause stratification among people is wealth or income. It also
determines which group we belong to. Dickens describes the suffering of the lower class in
economic terms as quoted below.

“Foulan who told the starving people they might eat grass! When I had no bread to give
him!”…Nevertheless, not a moment was lost; not a moment was lost; not a moment! This
foulan was at the Hotel De Vella and might loosed”, (p.278).

The social stratification above is evident between the rich and the poor. For poor
people in the French revolution eating expensive food is something beautiful like bread or
vitamin food; they can only find natural food or cheap food that is economically affordable.
But for wealthy people eating bread or something expensive has become a common thing that
can be easily reached. Poor people are just happy to have something to drink even the wine
gets dirty. Thus, more people lived in poverty, and more "middle class" people were forced to
live in poverty in the French revolution. Their world is full of hatred for one another, mainly
due to the conditioned trust in one another. Hunger and human misery remained very real in
the French Revolution. The relationship between the upper class and lower class in economic
terms is very clear.

People who live in misery and suffering in society are symbols of lower-class
education. Education may not be number one for the lower classes, but survival and survival
are more important than education itself. However, they realize that education can reach high
jobs, but they do not have the facilities to get the education. Naturally, uneducated or
uneducated people usually associate with unskilled, poor, suffering, and unhealthy people.

“It is built on misery and ruin. It is a tower of waste, mismanagement, debt, hunger, and
suffering!”, (p.43).

Not everyone can reach and get higher education in the era of the French revolution.
Only people who have opportunities and large incomes can pursue higher education in formal
and informal schools. Often with very little formal education (in the late nineteenth century),
it was accessible to everyone. The only community with the power and wealth to study in
school or college was the upper-class community. Therefore uneducated people who usually
refer to the lower class will get different values, admiration and prestige in society. Society
stratifies and views people from the income they have and the educational dimension because
they know that educated people always have different behaviors and thoughts from
uneducated ones who generate and achieve different income and prestige. As we know, most
of the lower class people characters in this novel come from uneducated people (unskilled,
unknowledgeable, and unprofessional); for example, Lucie is one of the poorest characters
who live alone in her society; she is an orphan, he didn't have the money to study or achieve
higher education as others did, he just hoped that others would help in earning a living.
Meanwhile, most rich people come from educated circles because most have skills,
knowledge, and professionalism. Therefore, if we find a society where most of the population
is poor, it shows that the people or individuals who live there are uneducated and uninformed.

The problem that arises in the phenomenon of social stratification is the equal right to
obtain equal educational opportunities for all people, both upper, middle and lower classes.
Meanwhile, the lower class cannot go to college or receive a good education, so it is tough to
become skilled, professional, and have good personal qualities. The more dangerous impact
of social stratification is when the system and government laws are dominated by the nobility
who abuse their role as a strong group, especially if it is accompanied by unproven suspicions
that the minority has done something that tarnishes the honor of the majority. Generally, they
will receive inhumane treatment from the upper class.

Conclusion

In the A Tale of Two Cities novel, Charles Dickens tries to fictionalize the long
history of the French revolution and social class. He describes how the lower class people
have struggled from the lowest position as slaves to a better position to protect their identity
and gain equality. Lack of concern for peasants and other lower classes of society led to
hatred among the peasants towards royalty and the aristocracy. The mistreatment of the
peasant or lower-class by the aristocrats led to the French Revolution. The expressions of
hatred between the peasantry and the lower classes were most clearly shown.

Based on the results of the analysis conducted by the author in this study, it can be
concluded that the novel A Tale of Two Cities has a social theme that exists in society, the
social life that occurs in society, there are differences in status from the upper class to the
lower class, which results in stratification. System of distinction of social status prevailing in
society. Classification of social strata of society according to wealth, power or strength,
honor and knowledge or education. The analysis carried out above has proven convincingly
that Charles Dickens, through his novel A Tale of Two Cities, has reflected the social
phenomenon of social class towards exploitation, inequality and injustice committed by the
nobility in the French revolution. Dickens describes the dark history of the revolutionaries'
past and their possible and expected future. Dickens does not only present forms of social
stratification. More importantly, he also suggested fictitiously how the country should be
built in the future. Exploitation, inequality, freedom and discrimination are all over. No class
is superior to another. Any class in France, suggested Dickens, must work together so that the
state becomes a real revolution.

References

Dickens, Charles. (1954). A Tale of Two Cities. New York: Pocket Library. Inc

Wellek, Rene and Warren, Austin. (1956). Theory of Literature. New York: A Harvest Book
Harcourt, Brace & World Inc.