Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South: Industrialism and Class

Introduction: Change and Literature in Nineteenth-Century England

Nineteenth-century England was a country caught up in the turmoil and excitement of change. As the environment and society transformed, people were faced with immense challenges, including how to survive in a rapidly shifting world. While every sector of society felt the force of this upheaval, the changes most profoundly affected the working and poorer classes. This reality was reflected in the arts of the time, including novels by writers such as George Eliot and Elizabeth Gaskell.

Gaskell's North and South particularly demonstrates the potential benefits of embracing the future, however uncertain, while celebrating what was best in the past. The focus of the novel, expressed through the character of Margaret Hale, is the creativity and energy made possible by industrialism. Gaskell accomplishes this by placing workers and owners in the same favorable light — nobody is portrayed as inferior on account of social position.

The North–South Divide: Contrasting Social Worlds

Gaskell's novel by no means minimizes the problems associated with the Industrial Revolution in England. These problems are addressed through the contrasts between those who distrust the new social paradigms resulting from industry. There is a clear distinction between "the North," representing capitalism and industry, and "the South," representing the rural values and traditions of the past. In the literature of the time, the two worlds are usually far apart from each other in both attitude and class. Gaskell, however, attempts to reconcile these apparently diametrically opposed worlds through her characters. Her main character, Margaret Hale, represents the ideal of accepting the new world while appreciating what was best of the old.

Margaret Hale's family represents the South, or the past. In many ways they are caught up in the world that has come before and do not know how to cope with the emerging industrial order. Margaret's journey begins in the South, from where she travels through London to the North. There she meets Mr. Thornton, a capitalist. It is through Margaret's perspective that the author expresses her own attitude towards capitalism.

Margaret Hale as a Bridge Between Two Worlds

Margaret's father, Mr. Hale, is contrasted with his daughter in that he undergoes a crisis of faith as a result of the new social and economic system. He questions his beliefs and ultimately leaves his occupation as a vicar for the Church of England, relocating the family from the South to the northern industrial town of Milton.

The setting as the family moves northward is representative of the general perception of industrialization during the period. As they draw closer to the North and its industry, the landscape becomes increasingly gloomy, forming a sharp contrast with the untouched natural beauty of the Hales' hometown, Helstone. Margaret, however, maintains an open mind regarding the industrial world and its inhabitants, and she befriends the local laborers. It is through these friendships that the reader is brought to a deeper understanding of the suffering caused by factory working conditions during this era.