Wives and Daughters

Molly Gibson is a young girl who has been raised by her widowed father. During a visit to the local aristocratic 'great house' of Lord and Lady Cumnor, she loses her way in the estate and falls asleep under a tree. When she wakes up, she gets distressed at the thought of spending the night at the mansion, but to her relief, her father arrives to collect her. Seven years later, Molly is an attractive and rather unworldly young woman, which arouses the interest of one of her father's apprentices. Mr. Gibson discovers the young man's secret affection and sends Molly to stay with the Hamleys of Hamley Hall. Molly falls in love with Roger, the younger son of Mrs. Hamley, but it appears that he is more interested in Cynthia, Molly's new stepsister from her father's second marriage._x000D_ Elizabeth Gaskell (1810-1865) was an English novelist and short story writer. Her novels offer a detailed portrait of the lives of many strata of Victorian society, including the very poor, and are of interest to social historians as well as lovers of literature. Some of Gaskell's best known novels are Cranford, North and South, and Wives and Daughters.

Elizabeth Gaskell, born Elizabeth Cleghorn Stevenson on September 29, 1810, in London, is a distinguished figure in Victorian literature known for her keen observation of society and insightful portrayal of domestic life. Gaskell's formative years were spent in Cheshire after the untimely death of her mother, which would later influence her literary works. Marrying William Gaskell, a Unitarian minister, in 1832, she settled in Manchester, a setting that would provide a backdrop to many of her social novels. Gaskell's literary career blossomed with the publication of 'Mary Barton' (1848), which gained her recognition as a perceptive social commentator, addressing the plight of the working class in industrial England. Her narrative artistry further evolved with 'Cranford' (1853), a gently satiric portrayal of small-town life, and 'North and South' (1855), delving into social and gender divides. Her final work, 'Wives and Daughters' (1866), remained unfinished at her death on November 12, 1865, and posthumously underscored her adeptness at creating complex characters and exploring social and familial relations. Gaskell's literary style is characterized by a blend of realism, warmth, and sharp societal critique, endearing her to readers and critics alike.