"North and South" by Elizabeth Gaskell Essay Sample

The novel, "North and South," by Elizabeth Gaskell is considered as one of her best writings if not the best writing. The book forms part of an essential area of Victorian literature while bringing into play a strong female protagonist coupled with a mature love theme. It equally features relevant political and social commentary with consideration of class antagonism and industrialization in the mid-19th century. The story is depicted in such a way that it comes into terms with the loss of idealized rural past and matters about the ascendancy of the rural locality. As such, some literary critics may argue that it is a replica of all issues. For example, the author ensures that issues such as class conflict, religion, policies, women's rights, and society, in general, are covered. The setting of the story also brings some aspect of reality while touching on some of the pressing issues which affect society today. The story is set in the Victorian era and focuses on love that spread across two social divide (Easson, 2016).

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The protagonist, Margaret Hale is presented as the daughter of a person who gives up his position in the church to take on the role of a tutor in the industrial, smoky, and the Northern town of Milton. Together with her mother, they are unable to believe what Mr. Hale can admire in Milton. For them, the place is terrible, poor, filled with violence, and smoke and hope that they could leave it and resume their tranquil life in the South. As time goes by until we reach the concluding paragraph, we come to realize that Margaret begins to adapt and develop relationships with the people of Milton. She builds both good and bad relationships, and one of the relationships is noted to be built with a local factory operator, Mr. John Thornton. The relationship begins with the dislike of each other, but things begin to take a different turn as time continue to pass by. Mr. Thornton becomes highly intrigued by the personality of Margaret, and his feelings towards the protagonists begin to change (Gaskell, 2016). Issues become complicated when the factory workers plan and mobilize for a strike an issue which exposes secrets which would have been left covered up by Margaret. The dimension which the story takes, therefore, appears procedurally and inclusive of essential things that take place in normal life. The same procedure spread to the last paragraph of the story hence the focus of the discussion. The paper is, therefore, premised on an examination of the concluding paragraphs and how the ending reflects the beginning of the novel.

Some literary critics believe that the author may have rushed with the ending or perhaps made it abrupt. Those who are of the opinion that the author may have rushed are particularly concerned with the manner in which the story puts two lovers apart until the final last pages. The situation makes it difficult for the readers to be satisfied since, at this juncture, they expected more, and especially on the procedural development on how the two lovers would finally unite and become one despite their difference in social classes. Unfortunately, amidst the expectations for the two lovers to come together, Elizabeth Gaskell's work fail to depict the journey of their union and instead brings it to an abrupt ending when they finally kissed (Gaskell, 2016).

Even though the ending of the story is noted to take such a dimension, it is notable that many literary writers are fond of leaving their readers in suspense. It is one of the styles employed in literary writings with the aim of leaving the audience or the readers with the urge of yearning for more. I, therefore, agree with those who view the ending of the story as abrupt or those who believe that Elizabeth Gaskell might have rushed in concluding her work but I also recognize why the ending might have taken that dimension. The fundamental questions which arise are on how the story got the conclusions drawn by the author, the things that had to happen for the narrative to reach the conclusions, and the manner in which the ending of the novel speaks to the issues raised by Elizabeth Gaskell in her story. The final concern touches on the kind of mood and message which the outcome conveys and the relationship that exist between the novel's beginning and ending. These concerns define the entire story, answering them will help us shade more light on the ending and approve or disapprove whether the ending was abrupt or even take a whole different dimension of argument. The concluding paragraphs are in chapter 52, and the first quotes are on, "for grief or joy, fear or hope, and for all the things that come hereafter, in both peace and strife, the happenings will be in sunshine or storm." The chapter introduces us to Edith who goes about tip-toeing and checking on Sholto the next morning (Gaskell, 2016). As the chapter comes to an end (concluding paragraphs), it narrows down to two characters who argue about their love (Margaret and Mr. Thornton) hence enabling us to make reconnections with different parts of the story and effectively answer the questions.

In the concluding paragraphs, we can see Mr. Thornton call on Margaret though with a hoarse and trembling voice; he tells her to take care because he may claim her as his own in a strange presumptuous manner. He even tells her to send him away at once if he had to go. Margaret on her side, responds by arguing that she was not good enough, she even proceeds to inform him to detest from mocking her feelings of unworthiness. Mr. Thornton instead removes some roses from his pocket and remind her if she may be informed of where he got them. At first, she seemed unsure, but after a while, she recalls that they are found at Helstone, a place she grew up in, an issue which advances Mr. Thornton's case. He argues that he wanted to know where she grew up, it at this point that things turn around, the tone changes and the story comes to an abrupt ending. The story got to such an ending based on class divisions or what historians refer to as social stratification. The union of the two lovers has been delayed by their difference in classes, where Margaret feels that she is unworthy to be loved by Mr. Thornton and believed that Thornton's love might not have been genuine (Gaskell, 2016).

Some things also happened for the story to reach the conclusions - for example, the relocation to the Northern side of Milton town. The relocation gave Margaret an opportunity of meeting with Mr. Thornton even though their first encounter was somewhat unfriendly. The perception about social classes also made it difficult to the very end for Margaret to agree to Mr. Thornton's proposal, even as the story came to an end, it is still unclear whether Margaret will agree to abandon the social classes belief and unite with Mr. Thornton. It is also true that the conclusions of the novel speak to the issues the author has raised throughout the story (McVeagh, 2016). The main issues are in poverty, social stratification, and conflict, and idealized past. The roses brought takes back to the poverty status of Margaret's locality. The fact that the union of the two is unclear even as the story comes to an end proves how massive social stratification was a barrier for them becoming lovers. It is from the final mood where we can foresee the future. The outcome of the roses and Margaret's remembrance of Helstone brings about an ecstatic mood thus imaging hope for their love. The novel's ending also relates with its beginning because of the ending touches on the fundamental themes introduced at the beginning but from a different standpoint.

Conclusion

In summary, North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell are one of the books that employ great literary skills and techniques in portraying the central themes. The novel depicts how poverty and social stratification can keep two lovers drawn from different social divide apart. Some literary scholars opine the ending of the novel as somewhat abrupt; they feel that the author should have shown the manner in which the two main characters finally came together. Even though their view holds some truth, I believe that the author was right to conclude the story in the manner she did, to allow the reader yearn for more and figure out the outcome. Furthermore, the novel is procedural with every issue leading to the other as noted herein.

References

Easson, A. (2016). Elizabeth Gaskell. Routledge.

Gaskell, E. (2016). Level 6: North and South. Pearson Education.

McVeagh, J. (2016). Elizabeth Gaskell. Routledge.