Ruth - Softcover

Gaskell, Elizabeth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1534941118 ISBN 13: 9781534941113

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2016

Synopsis

Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell... Ruth is a novel by Elizabeth Gaskell, first published in three volumes in 1853. Ruth is a young orphan girl working in a respectable sweatshop for the overworked Mrs Mason. She is selected to go to a ball to repair torn dresses. At the ball she meets the aristocratic Henry Bellingham, a rake figure who is instantly attracted to her. They meet again by chance and form a secret friendship; on an outing together they are spotted by Mrs Mason who, fearing for her shop's reputation, dismisses Ruth. Alone in the world, Ruth is whisked away by Bellingham to London where it is implied she becomes a fallen woman. They go on holiday to Wales together and there on a country walk Ruth meets the disabled and kind Mr Benson. Bellingham falls sick with fever and the hotel calls for his mother who arrives and is disgusted by her son's having lived in sin with Ruth. Bellingham is persuaded by his mother to abandon Ruth in Wales, leaving her some money. A distraught Ruth attempts suicide but is spotted by Mr Benson who helps comfort her. When he learns of her past and that she is alone he brings her back to his home town, where he is a Dissenting minister, to stay with him and his formidable but kind sister Faith. When they learn that Ruth is pregnant they decide to lie to the town and claim that she is a widow called Mrs Denbigh, to protect her from a society which would otherwise shun her.

About this title

Review:

"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

Book Description:

¿She had no penitence, no consciousness of error or offence; no knowledge of any one circumstance but that he was gone.¿

About this edition

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1534941118
• ISBN 13: 9781534941113
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 226