North and South" A Book Review

Fans of Jane Austen's incredibly insightful novels will readily reread every one of her six famous novels for perpetuity. However, another author who finds favor with many fans of Jane Austen is Elizabeth Gaskell. With Gaskell also being the daughter of a minister like Jane Austen was the daughter of a clergyman. And one of Elizabeth Gaskell's most seminal works is "North and South".

While the title of "North and South" may evoke images of Patrick Swayze in the 1980s miniseries set before, during, and immediately after the American War Between the States, the

"North and South" referred to by Elizabeth Gaskell in her novel is actually the industrial town of Milton in the northern part of England versus the rural community of Helstone in the Southern part of England during the cusp of the Industrial Revolution. Told through the lens of Margaret Hale, a young lady who excitedly looks forward to returning to the home of her youth after her cousin gets married, Elizabeth Gaskell aptly captures the differing mindsets between the two regions of England during a pivotal time in history.

For the protagonist of "North and South", Margaret Hale, has all of the prejudices against tradesmen that befits her class. As she states in the novel, "I don't like shoppy people. I think we are far better off knowing only cottagers and labourers, and people without pretence . . . I'm sure you don't want me to admire butchers and bakers, and candlestick-makers . . . " Yet, much to Margaret Hale's surprise, when she returns to her childhood home in Helstone, her father informs her that he no longer feels he can fulfill his duties as a clergyman due to a matter of conscience. Since the Hales live in the vicarage of Helstone, this decision on her father's part means the family will have to move. And much to Margaret and her mother's dismay, Mr. Hale decides to move the family all the way up to Milton. A city in the north which is far away from the idyllic village of Helstone. One that Margaret Hale finds to be "like a village in a poem-in one of Tennyson's poems."

The removal to Milton proves to be a difficult one for the Hales. As the polluted air from the factories is detrimental to Mrs. Hale's health. And while Mr. Hale has the strength of character to follow his conscience, his courage fails him some when it comes to the practicalities of making a living. Yet, he does manage to take on some students in Milton. In particular a highly respected business leader in the community, Mr. John Thornton.

Thornton differs from the typical tradesman of Milton in that while he is a self-made man, he respects and desires learning. With learning being one of the more cultured endeavors that is shunned by the Milton mill owners as they are prejudiced against anything that they deem will make young lads unfit for work. Yet, despite Thornton's tutelage under Margaret Hale's father, the prejudices of both sides make Thornton and Margaret have very little use for each other. That is until Margaret Hale saves John Thornton during a workers strike. An act which he mistakes for affection.

For while in the novel, "North and South", Elizabeth Gaskell comes across as in favor of reforms to the way the employees of such establishments as those found in Milton are treated, the author is decidedly opposed to the unions. Going so far as to even consider them to be unChristian in nature. So when Margaret Hale comes to the rescue of John Thornton, it is more so out of a sense of disdain to the aggressive behavior of the union strikers than out of any sense of affection for a tradesman.

Originally published in "Household Words" as a serial at the request of the famous British author, Charles Dickens, "North and South" was published in book form in 1855. Which makes the parallels between the Northern and Southern parts of England and the Northern and Southern parts of the USA at that time rather striking. For while modernity has changed the landscape some since then, the Southern part of the United States was traditionally more agrarian and the northern part of the United States more industrial.

Many readers may be drawn to "North and South" as a romance novel between Margaret Hale and John Thornton yet the bulk of the novel actually focuses on the challenges both the employees and the owners of the mills in Milton face. As while Elizabeth Gaskell doesn't advocate a complete overthrowing of the mill owners and their profit driven ways, she does seriously advocate the reformation of their ways. As Gaskell explains in the novel, "God has made us so that we must be mutually dependent."

In sum, "North and South" is a very insightful and enlightening read. Gaskell does not display the wittiness that Jane Austen features in the dialogues of her novels. Yet, Elizabeth Gaskell does display phenomenal insights into the mindsets of the profit-minded men of commerce versus the more genteel and stagnant agrarian communities. And for those who enjoy British Period Dramas, in 2004 the BBC did a four-part mini series of Elizabeth Gaskell's "North and South" featuring Daniela Denby-Ashe in the role of Margaret Hale and Richard Armitage in the role of John Thornton.

Luisa Reyes is an attorney in Tuscaloosa with a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Judson, a master's degree in library science, and a law degree from Samford's Cumberland School of Law. She is also a piano instructor and vocalist.