Elizabeth Gaskell, born in 1810, was an influential 19th-century English novelist known for her insightful literary works that portrayed the realities of Victorian society. After the early loss of her mother, Elizabeth spent her childhood with her aunt in Knutsford, which later served as inspiration for her famous works, such as "Cranford" and "Wives and Daughters." She married William Gaskell in 1832, a minister in Manchester, where they settled and engaged in charitable work, focusing on the plight of the working class.

Gaskell's writing was deeply influenced by the social and industrial transformations of Manchester, highlighting the harsh living conditions of factory workers. Her novel "Mary Barton" drew attention to these issues and provoked national discussions. Charles Dickens, impressed by her work, invited her to contribute to his publications, leading to her widespread recognition as an author.

In 1850, the Gaskells moved to Plymouth Grove, a larger and more comfortable residence, where Elizabeth hosted numerous intellectual and eminent figures of her time. She was an active humanitarian, advocating for social reconciliation and better understanding between different segments of society. Her writing style was marked by careful research and authentic representation of northern dialects.

Despite her occasional melodrama, Gaskell was a gifted storyteller. Her biography of Charlotte Brontë stirred controversy due to alleged defamatory statements. She was an independent traveler, often accompanied by her daughters, and maintained friendships with prominent figures like Charlotte Brontë, John Ruskin, and Florence Nightingale.

Gaskell's notable works include "Cranford," "Ruth," "North and South," "Sylvia's Lovers," and "Wives and Daughters." Tragically, she passed away in 1865 while secretly buying a house as a surprise for her family. Her final novel, "Wives and Daughters," was published posthumously in 1866. Although her writing was initially considered old-fashioned, Elizabeth Gaskell is now recognized as one of the most esteemed Victorian novelists, appreciated for her storytelling prowess and social commentary, making her a subject of interest for contemporary literary enthusiasts and scholars alike.

In her literary works, Gaskell delved into the social issues of her era, particularly those related to industrialization and the plight of the working class. Her novels explored the tensions between labor and capital, portraying the consequences of unfettered capitalism and raising questions about workers' rights and the responsibilities of employers. Gaskell's approach to these issues emphasized communication, mutual respect, and understanding between classes, rather than advocating for radical revolution.

Elizabeth Gaskell has not achieved the same level of popularity and recognition as some of her Victorian contemporaries, such as Charlotte Brontë and George Eliot. This could be attributed to her writing style, which lacks the wit and economy of Jane Austen, and her novels are often perceived as earnest and sentimental.

Available at https://www.gutenberg.org/files/4268/4268-h/4268-h.htm. Accessed on October 10, 2023.

The novella is narrated by Paul Manning, a first-person perspective, allowing readers to witness the events and characters through Paul's subjective experiences and emotions.

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Available at https://www.gutenberg.org/files/4268/4268-h/4268-h.htm. Accessed on October 10, 2023.

Phillis is a central character in the novella. Gaskell portrays her as an intelligent, modest, and morally upright young woman. The development of her character and her relationship with Paul forms the core of the story.

As readers, we might feel curious about the unfolding of their peculiar friendship, mostly because of Philis shrewdness and prudence.

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Innocence, rural life, industrialization, and the impact of change on traditional ways of life. Also the contrast between the rural and urban worlds, with a focus on the tensions arising from these differences.

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It is used vivid imagery to depict the countryside, emphasizing its beauty and tranquility. The rural setting and its symbolic significance play a crucial role in the story. The Holman family's home and their way of life are symbolic of a fading era, that is starting to give play to the modern world.

Available at https://www.gutenberg.org/files/4268/4268-h/4268-h.htm. Accessed on October 10, 2023.

Cousin Phillis is set in the Victorian era, a period marked by significant social and economic changes in England. The novella reflects the Victorian emphasis on morality, virtue, and social decency, especially in the character of Phillis. The story highlights the tension between the rural and urban worlds. The Manning family represents the urban, industrialized society, while the Holmans embody the rural, agrarian way of life. This reflects the broader societal shifts occurring during the Victorian era.

Throughout the novella we can see the perspective of each group (from both backgrounds), how they see each other and what opinions they have about the people from distinct social context. It is interesting how Paul, a boy from the city, wants to see the animals, even though he doesn't know much about them, and how the minister wants to read books in order to learn about the railways, since they are getting near his house.

Available at https://www.gutenberg.org/files/4268/4268-h/4268-h.htm. Accessed on October 10, 2023.

The novella addresses the impact of industrialization on rural communities. The Mannings are involved in the railroad industry, symbolizing the encroachment of industrialization into the countryside and its effects on traditional farming communities.

Class distinctions and social hierarchies are subtly explored in the novella. While Paul Manning is from a somewhat higher social class, his interactions with the Holmans reveal the complexities of class dynamics in Victorian society.

Gender roles and expectations are evident in the character of Phillis, who embodies the Victorian ideal of femininity and domesticity. Her character is contrasted with the more assertive and worldly Paul.

I personally like when I discovered some kind of relationship between artists.

Here at "the Dickens page" I found out a letter from Dickens to Mrs. Gaskell.It looks like they were friends, and Dickens admired her a lot. In one of the letters, Dickens suggests Mrs. Gaskell is as fascinating as the "Arabian Nights" calling Mrs. Gaskell by "Scheherazade".

He says: "My Dear Scheherazade - for I am sure your powers of narrative can never be exhausted in a single night, but must be good for at least a thousand nights and one".

Both were writing from the same time, in the Victorian era, and it is nice to know that Mr. Dickens admired her and her job as well!

Did you know that Cousin Phillies has already been translated into Portuguese?

I found out the book in Portuguese today. It is a good call for those who seek Victorian literature but don't master the English language. ( it is a good call to us as well, sometimes the reading gets to slow when reading in English and we don't have much time)

One thing that caught my attention on this blog is that the author stated that "Cousin Phillis" is criticized by some Gaskell critics, they state that is a good book but it doesn't show the geniality of the author.

Although the critics comment, the author of the blog has enjoyed the reading.

I think it was nice to read, but I personally felt a little bored when reading. The descriptive features were amazing, but, for me, it felt like nothing was really happening. Compared to the other texts we read till now I will give grade 6.

I think Cousin Phillis would say that her life is neither so sweet nor so monotonous.

Uncle Phillis had a hard time, an heartache to worry about.

Written in the Victorian Era, we can see some perspectives and contrasts about what was happening at the time. On the one hand, we see a Bucolic Life on the farm, based on the religion morals, and family values. Here, life passes slowly, country life shows us that the so-called “progress” wasn’t the reality of all the citizens of England. On the other hand, we see the progress coming fast, on a railroad, bringing the turbulences of a busy life, and the different manners of city people.

Another thing that comes into my mind: although we see representations of the patriarchal society that they were in ( We are in the same patriarchal society right now, with a few improvements for women) The novel tries to show Cousin Philis as an intelligent and well-educated person. This kind of education was not common at their time for a woman. maybe it was Gaskell’s way of putting women's roles in a certain perspective, rather than just showing an immature and passionate girl.

The source above shows us The Victorian perception of nature was multifaceted. While the countryside was often associated with natural beauty and health, it could also be seen as unmanaged, wild, and potentially unhealthy. Rural life presented its own complexities, as laborers were often depicted as less than fully civilized, especially due to their physically demanding work and living conditions. These contrasting views of nature and rural life contributed to the complexities of the Victorian rural imaginary.

The Victorian era also witnessed tensions between the urban and rural environments. Rural laborers, like their urban counterparts, could be viewed as "less than human" when compared to the elite. Migrant laborers who moved between town and country further blurred the lines between urban and rural identities, highlighting the complexities of mobility and community in this period.

In Elizabeth Gaskell's novel, we can see the morals and values of the Victorian era exposed by Cousin Philis's family, and also by the narrator, Paul Manning, and his friend Mr Edward Holdsworth (railway engineer). But we must bear in mind the contrast between this morality and what was happening in the Victorian era in the Capital. London was a terrible place to live in if you were a working class person.

The problem of poverty caused growing public concern during the early 19th century. The existing system for looking after those unable to care for themselves - the old, sick, disabled, orphans and unemployed - was based on a series of Acts of Parliament passed during the later Tudor period. These laws imposed an obligation on every parish to take care of its poor, though this had much less to do with compassion than with the need to preserve order and stability.

'Poor relief' was not the responsibility of the central government, but of the local parish, the main part of local government. A 'poor rate' or local tax paid by parish householders was used to help the poor in two main ways. In the 18th century those who were too ill, old, destitute, or who were orphaned children were put into a local 'workhouse' or 'poorhouse'. Those able to work, but whose wages were too low to support their families, received 'relief in aid of wages' in the form of money, food and clothes.

The poorhouses were terrible places, that looked like prisons.

https://austenised.blogspot.com/2010/10/elizabeth-gaskell-and-jane-austen.html

Even though Elizabeth Gaskell lived about 40 years ahead of Jane Austen, it is possible to find some (or in some cases a lot of) similarities between their novels and characters, which reinforces the influence of Jane Austen in Ms.Gaskell writing. As they both lived in the Victorian era, it would not be impossible to consider the fact that Gaskell had contact with Miss Austen's work at some point, although this fact has never been proven, it is not a theory to be completely discarded. Jane Austen’s writing was more limited, due to her social status and the fact she was single, whilst Gaskell was married to a minister, traveled a lot, and had children already. Now, regarding the resemblance of characters, I brought an example, such as the strong personality and fearless Elizabeth of Pride and Prejudice and the stubborn and courageous Margaret, from North and South; both of them have a unique and arduous essence and are reluctant in acknowledge their own feelings towards someone they care about.

But, there is a truce between this Gaskell and Austen parallel when it comes to the description of the places where the stories happened. One of them describes life in the country and idealizes places and situations since imagination was all she had, while the other one describes the reality of the city and the people, especially the working class, during Industrialization.

Did you know that there are TV series inspired by the novels of Elizabeth Gaskell? One of them is Cranford, and let me tell you a bit more about this one.

In 2007, the British TV series aired for the first time in the UK. The plot is based on the combination of three novels by Gaskell that intertwine: Cranford, My Lady Ludlow, and The Confessions of Mr. Harrison. This only shows the influence of the brilliant author to this day, and how her writings offer a unique insight into descriptions of the Victorian Era.