Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell

Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell

A moving account of poverty set in 1840s Manchester, Gaskell's first novel follows the young and beautiful Mary Barton, daughter of a factory worker, who is eventually caught up in the class struggle of her time. She attracts the attention of a wealthy mill-owner's son, Henry Carson, although she soon discovers her love for the poor, hard-working Jem Wilson. When a brutal shooting leaves a man dead, Mary must decide if she wishes to help in Jem's defense, for he is accused of the murder, and she knows who the real culprit is with certainty. Gaskell weaves Mary's story amidst a moving account of the hardships and grinding poverty of England's working class. A clear call for increased communication, greater equality between the rich and the poor, and redemption is made by Gaskell, who is often called Great Britain's social conscience of the Industrial Revolution.

“Another splendid edition from Broadview with the usual high standard of helpful footnotesAmong the appendices in this volume are Gaskell’s letters about writing the novel; contemporary reviews; essays and reports from the 1840s on industrialization, Chartism, emigration, prostitution and conditions in Manchester; brief selections from related fiction and poetry; and a very intelligible short summary of dates and events that shape the novel’s politics.” — Sally Mitchell, Temple University

Jennifer Foster, a doctoral candidate at the University of Ottawa, is a professional writer and editor who has written on nineteenth-century British literature.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781551111698
ISBN 10	1551111691
Title	Mary Barton
Author	Elizabeth Gaskell
Series	Broadview Editions Ser
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Broadview Press Ltd
Year published	2000-03-30
Number of pages	590
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.