Description

North and South is a novel that exposed Victorian inequalities. Margaret Hale, a woman from the South of England, moves to the industrialized North of England where she is shocked by the huge inequalities between the rich and the working class. This serves as a backdrop for a conflicted love story. Margaret finds herself falling in love with John Thornton, the owner of the local mill. But her concern for the Mill’s striking workers complicates the relationship. A classic tale of class and love.

Description

A crisis of conscience uproots a clergyman’s family from the pastoral beauty of the south, sending them to a dreary city in the industrial north. Margaret Hale is initially appalled by the unrefined town of Milton and its population of factory workers. But after befriending a local family, she develops a sense of sympathy for the struggles of the poor. The demands of Margaret’s awakening social conscience are further challenged by her attraction to John Thornton, self-made man and wealthy factory owner. Praised by Charles Dickens as an “admirable story, full of character and power,” Elizabeth Gaskell’s 1855 novel unfolds across the social divides of a changing world. The romance between the haughty but sensitive heroine and an intelligent, dynamic man of lower social status touches upon political, philosophical, and economic issues. An unflinching depiction of the bleak conditions of the working poor as well as a commentary on the mid-Victorian era’s class conflicts, this richly textured tale raises timeless questions about the nature of social authority and protest.

Description

`she tried to settle that most difficult problem for women, how much was to be utterly merged in obedience to authority, and how much might be set apart for freedom in working.’ North and South is a novel about rebellion. Moving from the industrial riots of discontented millworkers through to the unsought passions of a middle-class woman, and from religious crises of conscience to the ethics of naval mutiny, it poses fundamental questions about the nature of social authority and obedience. Through the story of Margaret Hale, the middle-class southerner who moves to the northern industrial town of Milton, Gaskell skilfully explores issues of class and gender in the conflict between Margaret’s ready sympathy with the workers and her growing attraction to the charismatic mill ownder, John Thornton. This new revised and expanded edition sets the novel in the context of Victorian social and medical debate. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World’s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford’s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Description

When her father has a crisis of conscious, Margaret Hale’s life is turned upside down. Because her parents decide to move away from southern London, Margaret must leave behind the tranquil, rural life she’s always known to settle in an industrial town called Milton. Though she does her best to assimilate, Margaret cannot help but feel trapped and hopeless in Milton, as she witnesses the brutal effects industrialization has on the environment and the individual. Used to fresh air and open spaces, Margaret notices the stark difference between her country home and Milton. While the air feels thick and the streets feel too crowded, Margaret’s compassion is captured by the plight of the lower classes. Befriending many poor laborers, Margaret learns of the unsafe conditions they work in, while they are making pennies on the boss’s dollar. While Margaret witnesses and supports her friends as they navigate toxic employer and worker relationships, she becomes involved in their struggles and gradually begins to brainstorm solutions. But when she meets John Thornton, a newly rich cotton mill owner, Margaret’s loyalty is tested. Initially clashing with John because of his occupation and his opinions on workers, Margaret begins to slowly develop strong feelings for John, avoiding him when she can out of respect for her underprivileged working friends. But as tensions grow in Milton, Margaret realizes that she cannot hide from John forever, and that she must navigate her intense feelings for the man; is it contempt, or something more?

With themes of class, social norms, and clashes between rural and urban environments, North and South is a sophisticated romance novel. Through the use of strong central characters and the set to the backdrop of the industrial revolution, Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell defies the tradition of romance, and portrayed topics left unexplored by other women of her time. First published in 1854, North and South features an entertaining narrative while providing valuable insight on the life and society of the 19th century Industrial Revolution in England.

This edition of Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell’s North and South is printed in a modern font and features a new, eye-catching cover design, making it both contemporary and accessible.

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