---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh, do you have A Tale of Two Cities?\"…"
description: "\"Oh, do you have A Tale of Two Cities?\" \"That silly thing? Men going around getting their heads chopped off for love? Ridiculus.\" Will unpeeled himself ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f57/cassandra-clare-9_advice_oh-do-you-have-a-tale-of-two-cities-that_450130.jpg"
---

#  Oh, do you have A Tale of Two Cities?" "That silly thing?…

![“Oh, do you have A Tale of Two Cities?&quot; &quot;That silly thing? Men going around getting their heads chopped off for love? Ridiculus.&quot; Will unpeeled himself from the door and made his way toward Tessa where she stood by the bookshelves. He gestured expansively at the vast number of volumes all around…” quote by Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f57/cassandra-clare-9_advice_oh-do-you-have-a-tale-of-two-cities-that_450130.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f57/cassandra-clare-9_advice_oh-do-you-have-a-tale-of-two-cities-that_450130.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f57/cassandra-clare-9_advice_oh-do-you-have-a-tale-of-two-cities-that_450130.jpg)

> “Oh, do you have A Tale of Two Cities?" "That silly thing? Men going around getting their heads chopped off for love? Ridiculus." Will unpeeled himself from the door and made his way toward Tessa where she stood by the bookshelves. He gestured expansively at the vast number of volumes all around him. "No, here you'll find all sorts of advice about how to chop off someone else's head if you need to; much more useful.”

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The narrator mocks romanticized violence, emphasizing absurdity of love-driven sacrifice.

**In simple terms:** Love-driven violence is absurd.

Key Takeaway

Question glorified sacrifice in love.

Themes

love violence absurdity satire

Mood

critical humorous

Type

literary satirical

When to use this quote

- reading fiction
- discussing media
- analyzing narratives
- teaching literature

Key Concepts

romanticism critique of heroism

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we romanticize sacrifice?
- How does satire change perception?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify complex emotions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Tale of two cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tale-of-two-cities/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/)

## Related quotes

> [“Before Tessa could answer, there was a knock at the door, and a familiar voice. "It's Jem. Tessa, are you there?" Charlotte sat bolt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/before-tessa-could-answer-there-was-a-knock-at-the-door-and-a/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [There was a time when beheadings were in the public mind because people around the world were getting their heads cut off for various…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-tundra/there-was-a-time-when-beheadings-were-in-the-public-mind-because/)

[Max Tundra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-tundra/)

> [With no guillotine, 'A Tale of Two Cities' would have been a travel guide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/with-no-guillotine-a-tale-of-two-cities-would-have-been-a-travel-guide/)

[Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/)

> ["A Tale of Three Cities" is a tribute to our parents' generation, who escaped from city to city in search of their loved ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mabel-cheung/a-tale-of-three-cities-is-a-tribute-to-our-parents-generation-who/)

[Mabel Cheung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mabel-cheung/)

> [“French Revolution- all them fellas the figgered her out got their heads chopped off. Always that way, jus as natural as rain. You didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/french-revolution-all-them-fellas-the-figgered-her-out-got-their/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [English history consists largely of royal people getting their heads chopped off...Needless to say, this brand of history was a hit with our son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/english-history-consists-largely-of-royal-people-getting-their-heads/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [It is in the nature of things that some people should be unlucky enough to get their heads chopped off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/it-is-in-the-nature-of-things-that-some-people-should-be-unlucky/)

[Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/)

> [Along the Paris streets, the death-carts rumble, hollow and harsh. Six tumbrils carry the day's wine to La Guillotine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/along-the-paris-streets-the-death-carts-rumble-hollow-and-harsh-six/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [I had read a Tale of Two Cities and found it up to my standards as a romantic novel. She opened the first page…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-had-read-a-tale-of-two-cities-and-found-it-up-to-my-standards-as-a/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [New York is a tale of two cities. You have the gilded city and the other city, and the core of the other city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/new-york-is-a-tale-of-two-cities-you-have-the-gilded-city-and-the/)

[Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/)

> [I love your daughter fondly, dearly, disinterestedly, devotedly. If ever there were love in the world, I love her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-love-your-daughter-fondly-dearly-disinterestedly-devotedly-if-ever/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [Château and hut, stone face and dangling figure, the red stain on the stone floor, and the pure water in the village well-thousands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/ch-teau-and-hut-stone-face-and-dangling-figure-the-red-stain-on-the/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [“Without turning, the pharmacist answered that he liked books like The Metamorphosis, Bartleby, A Simple Heart, A Christmas Carol. And then he said that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/without-turning-the-pharmacist-answered-that-he-liked-books-like-the/)

[Roberto Bolano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/)

> [“We must make the American people hear our Tale of Two Cities. We must convince them that we don't have to settle for two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/we-must-make-the-american-people-hear-our-tale-of-two-cities-we-must/)

[Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/)

> [“Most white people in Midland City were insecure when they spoke, so they kept their sentences short and their words simple, in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/most-white-people-in-midland-city-were-insecure-when-they-spoke-so/)

[Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/)

## More by Cassandra Clare

> [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [If you're texting Magnus to say 'I think u r kewl,' I'm going to kill you." "Who's Magnus?" Max inquired. "He's a warlock," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/if-you-re-texting-magnus-to-say-i-think-u-r-kewl-i-m-going-to-kill/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“they all have always loved you Will Herondale, for you cannot hide what is good about yourself, however har you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/they-all-have-always-loved-you-will-herondale-for-you-cannot-hide/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“We work through this together, remember? No shutting me out. No epic sulks.” “I was figuring I could sulk for Idris in the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/we-work-through-this-together-remember-no-shutting-me-out-no-epic/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“Lex malla, lex nulla,” said Julian with a regretful wave of his hand. It was the Blackthorn family motto: A bad law is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/lex-malla-lex-nulla-said-julian-with-a-regretful-wave-of-his-hand-it/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [Maybe that was why she couldn't cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/maybe-that-was-why-she-couldn-t-cry-she-realized-staring-dry-eyed-at/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [I'm memorable, its true." -Magnus, pg.229-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-m-memorable-its-true-magnus-pg-229/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“There is more to living than not dying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/there-is-more-to-living-than-not-dying/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [Unless there was a reason for me to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/unless-there-was-a-reason-for-me-to-stay/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [Love didn't make you weak, it made you stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/love-didn-t-make-you-weak-it-made-you-stronger/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“I wasn’t just worried about him; I was worried about you, too. There’s something so . . . reassuring about you. And Jace is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-wasn-t-just-worried-about-him-i-was-worried-about-you-too-there-s/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [I firmly believe that you can't get a good movie without risking a bad movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-firmly-believe-that-you-can-t-get-a-good-movie-without-risking-a/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

[Explore all 4,049 Cassandra Clare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

## More Advice quotes

> [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/)

Mak\_786

> [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/)

[Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/)

> [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

> [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/)

[Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/)

> [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/)

[Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/)

> [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

> [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/)

[Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/)

> [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/)

[Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/)

> [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/)

[Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/)

> [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/)

[Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/)

> [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/)

[Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/)

[Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Oh, do you have A Tale of Two Cities?\" \"That silly thing? Men going around getting their heads chopped off for love? Ridiculus.\" Will unpeeled himself from the door and made his way toward Tessa where she stood by the bookshelves. He gestured expansively at the vast number of volumes all around him. \"No, here you'll find all sorts of advice about how to chop off someone else's head if you need to; much more useful.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Cassandra Clare"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/oh-do-you-have-a-tale-of-two-cities-that-silly-thing-men-going-around/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Advice"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/oh-do-you-have-a-tale-of-two-cities-that-silly-thing-men-going-around/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f57/cassandra-clare-9_advice_oh-do-you-have-a-tale-of-two-cities-that_450130.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f57/cassandra-clare-9_advice_oh-do-you-have-a-tale-of-two-cities-that_450130.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f57/cassandra-clare-9_advice_oh-do-you-have-a-tale-of-two-cities-that_450130.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Oh, do you have A Tale of Two Cities?\" \"That silly thing? Men going around getting their heads chopped off…” — Cassandra Clare",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Cassandra Clare",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Oh, do you have A Tale...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/oh-do-you-have-a-tale-of-two-cities-that-silly-thing-men-going-around/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/oh-do-you-have-a-tale-of-two-cities-that-silly-thing-men-going-around/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
