Ruth

Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell

Elizabeth Gaskell's Ruth (1853) was the first mainstream novel to make a fallen woman its eponymous heroine. It is a remarkable story of love, of the sanctuary and tyranny of the family, and of the consequences of lies and deception, one that lays bare Victorian hypocrisy and sexualdouble-standards. Shocking to contemporary readers, its radical utopian vision of a pure woman faithfully presented predates Hardy's Tess by nearly forty years. This fully revised and corrected new edition is based on the three-volume first edition of 1853, collated with the one-volume 1855edition. Tim Dolin's fascinating new introduction challenges the view of Ruth as one of Gaskell's weaker novels and explores its radicalism and cultural influence, highlighting the remarkable story of love, family, and hypocrisy that it tells. In addition, the book includes an up-to-datebibliography, a chronology of Gaskell's life and work, and invaluable notes that shed much light on the book's historical, religious, and literary allusions and points of significance.

Table of contents

• Chapter 1. The Dressmaker's Apprentice At Work
• Chapter 2. Ruth Goes To The Shire-Hall
• Chapter 3. Sunday At Mrs Mason's
• Chapter 4. Treading In Perilous Places
• Chapter 5. In North Wales
• Chapter 6. Troubles Gather About Ruth
• Chapter 7. The Crisis—Watching And Waiting
• Chapter 8. Mrs Bellingham "Does The Thing Handsomely"
• Chapter 9. The Storm-Spirit Subdued
• Chapter 10. A Note And The Answer
• Chapter 11. Thurstan And Faith Benson
• Chapter 12. Losing Sight Of The Welsh Mountains
• Chapter 13. The Dissenting Minister's Household
• Chapter 14. Ruth's First Sunday At Eccleston
• Chapter 15. Mother And Child
• Chapter 16. Sally Tells Of Her Sweethearts, And Discourses On The Duties Of Life
• Chapter 17. Leonard's Christening
• Chapter 18. Ruth Becomes A Governess In Mr Bradshaw's Family
• Chapter 19. After Five Years
• Chapter 20. Jemima Refuses To Be Managed
• Chapter 21. Mr Farquhar's Attentions Transferred
• Chapter 22. The Liberal Candidate And His Precursor
• Chapter 23. Recognition
• Chapter 24. The Meeting On The Sands
• Chapter 25. Jemima Makes A Discovery
• Chapter 26. Mr Bradshaw's Virtuous Indignation
• Chapter 27. Preparing To Stand On The Truth
• Chapter 28. An Understanding Between Lovers
• Chapter 29. Sally Takes Her Money Out Of The Bank
• Chapter 30. The Forged Deed
• Chapter 31. An Accident To The Dover Coach
• Chapter 32. The Bradshaw Pew Again Occupied
• Chapter 33. A Mother To Be Proud Of
• Chapter 34. "I Must Go And Nurse Mr Bellingham"
• Chapter 35. Out Of Darkness Into Light
• Chapter 36. The End