North and South

"North and South" is perhaps Elizabeth Gaskell’s most famous novel which poignantly deals with the issues of industrialisation from the working class perspective. When young Margaret is made to leave her South Hampshire home and move to the fictional industrial town of Milton in the North, she is at first repulsed by the ugliness of the urban city. Here she experiences first-hand the violent clashes between employers and workers in regular strikes. She admires the workers and their courage, becoming close to them and their cause, bringing her in to clashes with the handsome cotton-mill owner John Thornton regularly. It is a novel focused on the human cost in an increasingly industrialised world, brimming with realism, emotion and a stunning ensemble of characters. If you loved the BBC’s 2004 adaptation of ‘North and South’ starring Richard Armitage, you will love the source material.

Elizabeth Gaskell (1810-1865) was an English novelist and short story writer. She is most famous for her earnest and detailed descriptions of the various Victorian social strata. Among her most famous work is her biography of the renowned author Charlotte Brontë of ‘Jane Eyre’ fame. Gaskell often focused her work on the poorest and most vulnerable people of society, as well as the human cost of industrialisation. Her most prominent novels include "North and South", "Cranford", and "Mary Barton".