Gaskell is one of my favorite authors and for the 'nonfiction about Gaskell' prompt, I read the Patsy Stoneman feminist critique from the 80s and I highly recommend it (with the caveat that it is slightly Of It's Time and I would expect different conversations to be happening if it were published now). She brought up some really interesting ideas in the N&S chapter that gave me a new perspective on one of my favorite novels of all time.
Glad you're back! Loved hearing your thoughts on N&S. This was my third or fourth time through and I intended to read it slowly, but I ended up devouring the book in two days. I always forget how great the story is. There's hardly any slow spot, except Margaret's visit to Helston with Mr. Bell, which I always find a bit of a snooze. It's amazing how fast-paced the plot is, especially given that it was published serially. I agree that Mr. Thornton is a wonderful character, and his interactions with his forthright mother are a great contrast to Margaret's dealings with the Hales, who are always concealing important things from each other. One of the striking moments for me is in the beginning, when Mr. Hale asks Margaret to explain to Mrs. Hale that he's quit his job and that they'll have to move! I love how the Victorians never shied away from having difficult yet still loving parents.
I had questions about that - why did he want Margaret to explain it to his wife? Really interesting. This was my second time reading it and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. I'm really looking forward to reading more of Gaskell and revisiting her works in the years to come!
@@ArtBookshelfOdyssey I got the feeling that there had been so much sorrow and disappointment in the Hale's marriage that communication had broken down, and now Margaret was home after over a decade and was being put in the uncomfortable position of the middleman. Gaskell does complex family dynamics so well.
I love 'North and South" not only because it is beautifully written, but also because of the way it deals with important issues of the day - such as the struggles of the mill-owners and the workers, and the religious arguments that were rife in Britain at the time in the wake of Darwin's book "On the Origin of Species". [In this regard, it reminded me of "War and Peace".] Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë and Emily Brontë did not write anything as deep or complex. Like Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell wrote to bring the plight of the poor to the attention of the affluent and powerful men and women of the South. It is also worth remembering that Karl Marx and his friend Engels lived in Manchester in the period in which the novel was set. What Marx saw in Manchester greatly influenced his political thinking.
In North and South, Mrs. Gaskell wrote and excellent, entertaining plot with strong characters. Margaret and John have to work through many difficult moments in their relationship because they come from different life experiences and that is what makes the novel interesting. I very much enjoyed reading North and South and I think it’s Gaskell’s masterpiece.
What I loved about their relationship is that it felt like it had a lot of depth to it - it wasn't just a shallow relationship, or that she wanted to get married for financial reasons. I felt there was real substantive reasons and a genuine love and desire between the two!
Happy to see you. I have started North and South and probably won’t finish until next month. Always good to hear your thoughts. I will say more once I’m finished as I’m not quite halfway through. 😊💙
Hooray for some GaskApril content! Interesting video, Art! I really enjoyed the 6 short Gaskell works I read this month for this event, and am looking forward to reading The Moorland Cottage later this spring!
That's great! Tomorrow I'm hoping to have a shorter video out talking about a couple of my favorite Gaskell short stories. What short stories have you been reading?
@@ArtBookshelfOdyssey Ooh, I look forward to that, Art! For GaskApril, I read "Hand and Heart," "The Last Generation in England," "Martha Preston," "Lizzie Leigh," "The Well of Pen-Morfa," and "The Heart of John Middleton." Loved them all, especially "Lizzie Leigh" and "John Middleton." I've also read "Libbie Marsh's Three Eras," "The Sexton's Hero," and "Christmas Storms and Sunshine" over the last few months. "Libbie Marsh" is outstanding!
@@darrylfriesen I've read Hand and Heart, Christmas Storms and Sunshine, I think I've Lizzie, but I don't remember now. I did read Libbie Marsh. My favorite is The Grey Woman - it's really an outstanding and thrilling read!
I read and finished N&S due to you and I'm glad I did. I enjoyed it immensely. I found it interesting that the father stepped away from his post, as he had doubts or didn't believe anymore ( it wasn’t explicitly told to us) I wished however that we could have heard his actual reasons why. The stepping down and relocating of His family was a big enough event to warrant an explanation as to why. I loved Mr Thornthon's character also. I love how the love interest between him and Margret was a subplot, so for the story, we were able to fully enjoy the character's development as they were properly fleshed out. Margret was a fantastic female lead. Strong, intelligent and made choices that were not self-serving but ones that benefited the people around her. There is so much to talk about in this book but thanks again Art for Gaskel April. It made me pick up this incredible book sooner rather than later☺️🙌
I'm really glad you enjoyed it! I agree I would love more information about why her dad left the church. It's one of the reasons that I enjoy the novel though - when I first read it, that plot seemed really interesting and compelling.
Margaret was self righteous. She likes showing charity but didn’t understand the deaths of men women and children due to fire in the factory and Thornton’s harsh treatment of the worker smoking inside the cotton factory with all that cotton floating around everywhere. He saw all the deaths and she never tried to understand, just harshly judges him and kept her self righteous attitude. It took loosing both parents to humble her.
Gaskell is one of my favorite authors and for the 'nonfiction about Gaskell' prompt, I read the Patsy Stoneman feminist critique from the 80s and I highly recommend it (with the caveat that it is slightly Of It's Time and I would expect different conversations to be happening if it were published now). She brought up some really interesting ideas in the N&S chapter that gave me a new perspective on one of my favorite novels of all time.
I'll have to check that one out! I haven't heard of it. I'm looking for more biographies and critiques of her work.
Glad you're back! Loved hearing your thoughts on N&S. This was my third or fourth time through and I intended to read it slowly, but I ended up devouring the book in two days. I always forget how great the story is. There's hardly any slow spot, except Margaret's visit to Helston with Mr. Bell, which I always find a bit of a snooze. It's amazing how fast-paced the plot is, especially given that it was published serially.
I agree that Mr. Thornton is a wonderful character, and his interactions with his forthright mother are a great contrast to Margaret's dealings with the Hales, who are always concealing important things from each other. One of the striking moments for me is in the beginning, when Mr. Hale asks Margaret to explain to Mrs. Hale that he's quit his job and that they'll have to move! I love how the Victorians never shied away from having difficult yet still loving parents.
I had questions about that - why did he want Margaret to explain it to his wife? Really interesting.
This was my second time reading it and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time. I'm really looking forward to reading more of Gaskell and revisiting her works in the years to come!
@@ArtBookshelfOdyssey I got the feeling that there had been so much sorrow and disappointment in the Hale's marriage that communication had broken down, and now Margaret was home after over a decade and was being put in the uncomfortable position of the middleman. Gaskell does complex family dynamics so well.
I love 'North and South" not only because it is beautifully written, but also because of the way it deals with important issues of the day - such as the struggles of the mill-owners and the workers, and the religious arguments that were rife in Britain at the time in the wake of Darwin's book "On the Origin of Species". [In this regard, it reminded me of "War and Peace".]
Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë and Emily Brontë did not write anything as deep or complex. Like Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell wrote to bring the plight of the poor to the attention of the affluent and powerful men and women of the South. It is also worth remembering that Karl Marx and his friend Engels lived in Manchester in the period in which the novel was set. What Marx saw in Manchester greatly influenced his political thinking.
@@mayachatterjee2336 Austen Bronts can't hold a candle to Elizabeth Gaskell
In North and South, Mrs. Gaskell wrote and excellent, entertaining plot with strong characters. Margaret and John have to work through many difficult moments in their relationship because they come from different life experiences and that is what makes the novel interesting. I very much enjoyed reading North and South and I think it’s Gaskell’s masterpiece.
What I loved about their relationship is that it felt like it had a lot of depth to it - it wasn't just a shallow relationship, or that she wanted to get married for financial reasons. I felt there was real substantive reasons and a genuine love and desire between the two!
I belive North & South is my favorite
Happy to see you. I have started North and South and probably won’t finish until next month. Always good to hear your thoughts. I will say more once I’m finished as I’m not quite halfway through. 😊💙
I'm glad you're reading it - I hope you're enjoying it!
Hooray for some GaskApril content! Interesting video, Art! I really enjoyed the 6 short Gaskell works I read this month for this event, and am looking forward to reading The Moorland Cottage later this spring!
That's great! Tomorrow I'm hoping to have a shorter video out talking about a couple of my favorite Gaskell short stories. What short stories have you been reading?
@@ArtBookshelfOdyssey Ooh, I look forward to that, Art! For GaskApril, I read "Hand and Heart," "The Last Generation in England," "Martha Preston," "Lizzie Leigh," "The Well of Pen-Morfa," and "The Heart of John Middleton." Loved them all, especially "Lizzie Leigh" and "John Middleton." I've also read "Libbie Marsh's Three Eras," "The Sexton's Hero," and "Christmas Storms and Sunshine" over the last few months. "Libbie Marsh" is outstanding!
@@darrylfriesen I've read Hand and Heart, Christmas Storms and Sunshine, I think I've Lizzie, but I don't remember now. I did read Libbie Marsh. My favorite is The Grey Woman - it's really an outstanding and thrilling read!
I read and finished N&S due to you and I'm glad I did. I enjoyed it immensely.
I found it interesting that the father stepped away from his post, as he had doubts or didn't believe anymore ( it wasn’t explicitly told to us) I wished however that we could have heard his actual reasons why. The stepping down and relocating of His family was a big enough event to warrant an explanation as to why.
I loved Mr Thornthon's character also. I love how the love interest between him and Margret was a subplot, so for the story, we were able to fully enjoy the character's development as they were properly fleshed out.
Margret was a fantastic female lead. Strong, intelligent and made choices that were not self-serving but ones that benefited the people around her.
There is so much to talk about in this book but thanks again Art for Gaskel April. It made me pick up this incredible book sooner rather than later☺️🙌
I'm really glad you enjoyed it! I agree I would love more information about why her dad left the church. It's one of the reasons that I enjoy the novel though - when I first read it, that plot seemed really interesting and compelling.
Margaret was self righteous. She likes showing charity but didn’t understand the deaths of men women and children due to fire in the factory and Thornton’s harsh treatment of the worker smoking inside the cotton factory with all that cotton floating around everywhere. He saw all the deaths and she never tried to understand, just harshly judges him and kept her self righteous attitude. It took loosing both parents to humble her.