North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

By Bright Summaries

Unlock the more straightforward side of North and South with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!

This engaging summary presents an analysis of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, a realist novel which examines the stark contrasts between the social classes of Victorian England. It centres on the young protagonist Margaret Hale, who reluctantly moves to the northern industrial town of Milton and is shocked by the conditions there. In particular, she soon clashes with the mill-owner Mr Thornton, as she finds his treatment of the working-class individuals in his employ to be utterly lacking in compassion. Over the course of the novel, Margaret and Mr Thornton constantly challenge each other’s beliefs and morals, personifying the new divide between north and south that had developed in the wake of the Industrial Revolution. Elizabeth Gaskell was one of the most significant writers of the Victorian era, and was a frequent contributor to Charles Dickens’ magazine Household Words, in which North and South was serialised between 1854 and 1855.

Find out everything you need to know about North and South in a fraction of the time!

This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:

• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection

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• Language: English
• Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
• Release date: May 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9782808015417