Ruth

by Elizabeth Gaskell

Overview

A young orphan, Ruth Hilton, is seduced and then abandoned by the wealthy Henry Bellingham. She is left to bring up her child in a society thatoffers her no protection and seems to punish such innocence. Pretending to be a widow, Ruth is taken in by a minister and is given a chance to bring up her son whom she loves above all else. This was a crusading novel when it was published in 1853, and aroused almost as much censure for its shocking scenes as it did sympathy for the heroine.

Author Biography: Elizabeth Gleghorn Gaskell (1810-1865) is also the author of Mary Barton, North and South, Cranford, The Life of Charlotte Bronte, Sylvia's Lover, and Wives and Daughters.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781514251881
Publisher:	CreateSpace Publishing
Publication date:	06/06/2015
Pages:	140
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.30(d)

About the Author

Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (1810-1865) was an English author who wrote biographies, short stories, and novels. Because her work often depicted the lives of Victorian society, including the individual effects of the Industrial Revolution, Gaskell has impacted the fields of both literature and history. While Gaskell is now a revered author, she was criticized and overlooked during her lifetime, dismissed by other authors and critics because of her gender. However, after her death, Gaskell earned a respected legacy and is credited to have paved the way for feminist movements.

Table of Contents

RuthIntroduction
Further Reading
A Note on the Text

Ruth

Notes
Chronology

Editorial Reviews

"A generally good teaching edition at a reasonable price."—Christopher C. Dahl, University of Michigan, Dearborn

"Essential that this remain in print for Victorian culture studies."—Linda Shires, Syracuse University

"I'm happy that you have made Ruth affordable for classroom use. Ruth illuminates many of the conflicts over 'the fallen woman' as Christian martyr or feminist hero seen in more famous Victorian novels such as Tess and The Scarlet Letter. Your edition is well-edited and readably printed."—Dr. Jeanette Shumaker, San Diego State University (Imperial Valley Branch)

"OUP is the only publisher of this in paperback. It's a significant book for any Victorian literature course and particularly for one on Victorian women."—Eleanor McNees, University of Denver

From the Publisher