North and South

Synopsis

North and South is a novel based on industrial revolution is written by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, a British novel writer of Victorian era, whose novels portrayed the poor. Apart from writing the biography of Charlotte Bronte whom she admired a lot, she had contributed to the literary world with many novels and shorts stories including Mary Barton, Cranford , Wives and Daughters: An Everyday Story, Libbie Marsh's Three Eras, The Sexton's Hero and Christmas Storms and Sunshine.

The novel opens up when Mr. Hale along with his wife and Daughter Miss Margaret Hale (The protagonist) arriving to settle at his hometown Milton, where he owns a property. Milton is heavily influenced by the industrial revolution, became bustling, smoky town with poverty all around. Mr. John Thornton, a cotton mill owner and a former student of Mr.Hale, falls in love with Margaret, however she only admires his abilities to come up in his life. Margaret develops friendship with a workers union representative Nicholas Higgins.

During the worker’s strike, John runs the mill with the Irish workers, which fuels the agitation of workers. During the strike Margaret’s attempt to calm the workers results in an injury to her. John saves her and proposes her love while she was fainting to the floor. Meanwhile, Frederick Hale, brother of Margaret who is undercover from legal authorities visits to meet their ailing mother. While returning Frederick was identified by Leonards which results in a clash and death of Leonards. Margaret who was witnessing the death, lies to magistrate to save her brother. John knowing this does not reveal to legal authorities and saves her. In the preceding incidents John and Margaret realize their love and get married.

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