From A Tale of Two Cities

Question

"Spiritual revelations were conceded to England at that favoured period, as at this."Why the word "conceded" is used here? Was Charles trying to indicate some kind of emotion? Haven't got a chance to finish the book yet, so don't know the specific idea Charles was trying to express here.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

I read "conceded" as "granted/given/allowed/assigned."

That was a hundred and fifty years ago. These days it often means "admitted."

RobinG · Answer

Thanks Avangi. Yes I believe we can read "conceded" as "granted/given/allowed" here grammatically, but still they're emotionally different I think, these words will not convey the specifically meant message as "conceded" does. Or am I reading too much into it?

Avangi · Answer

I always read this intro as a bit tongue-in-cheek.

The emotions carried by sarcasm can be hard to pin down. You might say that sarcasm itself is an emotion.

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks Avangi, that is very enlightening. I should've known first this story is a satire by Charles Dickens.

From A Tale of Two Cities

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions