To what extent is “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens a historical or a romance novel

This extended essay aims to analyse “A Tale of Two Cities”, written by Charles Dickens in 1859, from two different perspectives: historical novel and romantic novel. The novel is set in the period of French Revolution, and the historical setting is an important aspect of this novel. There is also a romantic relationship developing between two young people. This dual nature of the book, the fact that it encompasses love, guilt, compassion, justice, sacrifice, revenge and loyalty, and the detailed and realistic narration of the French revolution were the main reasons behind the selection of this novel. This essay compares the historical features and the romantic features of the novel. Historical novel and romantic novel types of literature was first defined, and then the novel was examined according to the definitions