North and SouthNorth and South is one of Elizabeth Gaskell's best known novels. North and South is set in the fictional town of Milton in the North of England when industrialisation was changing the city. The novel has frequently been favourably compared to the similarly-focused Shirley by the better-known novelist and friend of Gaskell, Charlotte Brontė. Forced to leave her home in the tranquil rural south, Margaret Hale settles with her parents in the industrial town of Milton where she witnesses the harsh brutal world wrought by the industrial revolution and where employers and workers clash in the first organised strikes. Sympathetic to the poor whose courage and tenacity she admires and among whom she makes friends, she clashes with John Thornton, a cotton mill manufacturer who belongs to the nouveaux riches and whose contemptuous attitude to workers Margaret despises. The confrontation between her and Mr Thornton is reminiscent of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, but in the broad context of the harsh industrial North. |
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afraid answer arms asked Margaret aunt Shaw believe Bell Bessy better Boucher Cadiz Captain Lennox comfort Corfu dare Darkshire daughter dear dinner Dixon door drawing-room dress dunnot eau de Cologne Edith Elizabeth Gaskell eyes face fancy Fanny father feel felt Frederick gave girl give glad gone Hale's hand Harley Street hear heard heart heerd Helstone Henry Lennox Higgins hope idea kind knew lady listen live look mamma Margaret Hale Marlborough Street marriage masters Milton mind Miss Hale morning mother muslin never Nicholas night Outwood pain papa poor pretty remember replied round sate seemed silent smile speak spoke stood strange sure talk tears tell thank things Thornton thought to-morrow told took truth turned voice walk wish woman words yo'r young