It is very easy to compare the work of Elizabeth Gaskell to her predecessors Jane Austin and Charlotte Bronte, but to do so would deprive the author of a great deal of skill and her obvious endeavor to be something more than a typical novelist. In North & South, Gaskell uses strong willed, prideful people to compare the distinctions between classes and geographies in England. This book is much more than a romance of two star crossed, willful lovers. It is a very specific social commentary on the state of England near the turn of the 20th century.
The story is set in England during the Industrial Revolution. Mr Hale, a country parson unable to reissue his faith in the Church of England, leaves his small parish in the countryside of the south of England and relocates his wife, daughter, Margaret, and faithful servant Dixon to a manufacturing town in the North to work as a tutor to a tradesman named Mr. John Thornton. Mr Thornton is a stubborn, prideful, hard working, self-made man who immediately is liked by Mr. Hale and disliked by his daughter. However, Margaret Hale makes short work of capturing the heart of Mr. Thornton, despite the fact that she does not return his affection. The fact that Mr. Thornton rises to the occasion and admits he still cares for and thus protects and assists Margaret whenever he can makes him by far the most likable romantic hero I have come across in historical fiction (My apologies to Mr. Darcy fans, but you have to admit, Mr. Darcy is pretty hard to read, despite being head over heels)
Margaret Hale dislikes the noise and smoke of the manufacturing town and spends much of her time romanticizing her old home in the New Forest. Mr Thornton is proud of the industry and capabilities of the Industrial Revolution to raise a man who is economical and modest out of poverty. Thus begins the love-hate romance and the event by which Gaskell is able to compare and contrast the sunny farmland of the South with the dreary industry of the North. Margaret's friendship with several of Mr. Thornton's hands does not aid her opinion of masters of industry, and she repeatedly insults our stubborn hero. Of course, I wouldn't be recommending this book if it didn't have a happily ever after.
Elizabeth Gaskell also skillfully includes many foil characters and archetypes of their stations in life as examples and vehicles to demonstrate her opinions. The lovable Oxford scholar, the servant who looks down her nose at commoners, the hard-working, prideful, impoverished hired hand, the Londoners who possess no concept of the struggles occurring in the separate areas of their country all come together to assist our hero and heroine on their journey to tolerance and understanding. I found it interesting that of all of the characters, there is not one to dislike. There are some that you pity, some that you laugh at, some that you sigh over, but none to find repulsive. Ms. Gaskell did an excellent job of explaining that each character is simply a product of his environment and predisposition. She compares different reactions to poverty and strife through Nicholas Higgins and Boucher and even then, you can only pity the one and respect the other. The villains of this book are simple misunderstanding and stubborn pride.
The plot, while fairly complex, moves swiftly and I found the language fairly easy to read, despite the text's age. The only flaw that I found is the level of description. Gaskell describes many many characters and many many scenes to a depth level that can make them tedious. If you also have this issue, I recommend skimming the scenes and keep moving. Overall, this is a fantastic book. One that I will reread shortly (and that I would like to find a hardcover version if you know of a good one).
***PS: The movie with Richard Armitage *sigh* and Daniella Denby-Ashe is FANTASTIC and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! You should be able to find a copy at your local library, but may I recommend that you purchase a copy for yourself through amazon.com or half.com? I think it is my new favorite movie ever!
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