View source for John Barsad

'''John Barsad''' is a character in [[Charles Dickens]]' 1859 [[novel]], ''[[A Tale of Two Cities]]''.

==Overview==
Barsad is a turncoat, English con-man, and spy, and partner of [[Roger Cly]]. In the pay of the [[Marquis St. Evremonde]], he initially frames the Marquis' nephew, [[Charles Darnay]] by planting evidence on him on a voyage across the English Channel.

Roger Cly, also revealed to be a spy, fakes his death and flees England, but [[Jerry Cruncher]] discovers the fraud when he attempts to 'resurrect' Cly's body for the purpose of selling the body to doctors. Cruncher initially blames his wife's praying and thinks Roger Cly has been removed through spiritual means.

Carton discovers Barsad in [[Paris]] much later and finds him to be Miss Pross' long-lost brother Solomon.  He enlists Barsad's aid, by blackmailing him, to get into the prison to rescue Charles Darnay by changing places with him, Carton and Darnay being almost identical in appearance.  Barsad then brings Darnay out of the prison and back to his family.  Carton is eventually executed by [[guillotine]] in Darnay's place.

Barsad is genuinely dumbfounded by Carton's sacrifice - though not enough to change his own ways. In the final prophetic chapter of the book, Barsad, along with many others, is revealed to die by the guillotine at some time in the future.

==Analysis==
Barsad is described in Book 2, Chapter 3 of ''[[A Tale of Two Cities]]'' as "one of the greatest scoundrels upon the earth since accursed Judas-which he certainly did look rather like." This is a direct reference to [[Judas Iscariot]], the man who betrayed Jesus Christ in the Bible, and is explaining that Barsad is a very untrustworthy man.

==Cinematic and Theatrical Portrayals==
* [[Walter Catlett]] played John Barsad in the 1935 David O. Selznick production of [[A Tale of Two Cities (1935 film)|A Tale of Two Cities]] starring Ronald Colman.
* Barsad was played by [[David Suchet]] in the 1980 film [[A Tale of Two Cities (1980 film)|''A Tale of Two Cities'']]. 
* In the 2008 [[Broadway musical]] adaptation of ''[[A Tale of Two Cities (musical)|A Tale of Two Cities]]'', John Barsad is played by [[Nick Wyman]].
* In the 2012 film ''[[The Dark Knight Rises]]'', actor [[Josh Stewart]] plays [[Bane (comics)|Bane]]'s right-hand man, Barsad, who is named after John Barsad.

==External links==
* [http://www.talemusical.com/biographies.php?action=1&type=character&id=9 Character Profile of John Barsad]

{{A Tale of Two Cities}}

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[[Category:Literary characters introduced in 1859]]
[[Category:A Tale of Two Cities characters]]
[[Category:Fictional English people]]
[[Category:Male characters in film]]
[[Category:Male characters in literature]]
[[Category:Male literary villains]]
[[Category:Fictional British criminals]]
[[Category:Fictional British spies]]


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