Great Classics: North and South

North and South (1855) by Elizabeth Gaskell is a love story as much as a socio-political novel. Like most novels of its time it was originally published serialised. This accounts for its length and also for the fact that each chapter (there are 52 in total) ends with a cliffhanger.

The novel tells the story of how a Southern English family ends up living in the fictional Nothern industrial town of Milton (largely based upon Manchester). After Margaret Hale rejects a marriage proposal from Henry Lennox, she and her parents move up North from Hampshire when her father leaves the Church due to 'his opinions'. Her brother Frederick is living in Spain after having been expelled from the army after a mutiny he took part in. He cannot come back to Britain for fear of being recognised and hung.

A few chapters in, there is a shift from the idyllic discription of rural Southern England and its gentle society to the harsh, unrefined, industrial Milton. Mr Hale becomes the tutor of self-made man and factory owner John Thornton. Margaret also makes the acquaintance of ill ex-factory worker Bessy and her father Mr Higgins.

Throughout the ensuing chapters, Margaret begins to appreciate life in Milton and to understand its social workings. Some significant events take place: there is a big strike, Mr Thornton falls in love with Margaret and Bessy dies. Mrs Hale herself becomes very ill and asks Margaret to write Frederick a letter requesting he comes to England at once to see her.

Mrs Hale dies during Frederick's visit. When Margaret accompanies her brother to the train station and drunkard recognises him and Frederick pushes him to the ground before boarding his train. A few hours later, the drunkard dies. When the police comes round to see Margaret she falsely denies her being at the train station that evening. Mr Thornton stops the police enquiry after the death as he is aware of Margaret's involvement. However, he wrongly believes Frederick to be Margaret's lover and shares this with his mother.

This event takes John and Margaret farther apart as the former holds a low opinion of the latter and the latter feels obliged to keep her secret for her brother's sake. She is also tormented because of her lie and because she thinks John believes her to be a liar.

Mr Hale dies in Oxford while visiting his old friend and Milton man, Mr Bell. Before Mr Hale's passing, Mr Bell promises him he will look after Margaret as he had grown fond of her during a recent visit to the North. Margaret moves to London with Auntie Shawn, cousin Edith and her husband Captain Lennox and his brother Mr Lennox. She learns that Frederick has got married in Spain and does not wish to ever set foot in England again. Upon Mr Bell's death, Margaret becomes an heiress and, in a turn of fortune, John Thornton's landlady (or landlord as it says on the book).

Mr Higgins, who is now working for Mr Thornton, tells him the story about Frederick's visit years ago. Margaret's character is restored on John's eyes and he travels down to London for their reunion on the final chapters.

North and South, like all Victorian novels, is plot-heavy so I have left out many plot developments. I believe, however, that I have outlined the main ones of this great classic.