The opening line is from 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens, not 'Hard Times' as erroneously cited in the question's prompts.
The opening line "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," is from the novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
This famous line introduces a story set against the backdrop of the French Revolution and reflects on the contradictory aspects of the era, capturing the essence of the historical context in which the novel is set.
Despite the reference provided, it's important to note that the novel is erroneously cited as "Hard Times" in the question's prompts, which is inaccurate. "Hard Times" is another novel by Charles Dickens but does not open with the quoted line.