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Ruth (Penguin Classics)
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Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
Author: Elizabeth Gaskell
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Average Customer Rating:
Our Price: $9.60
You Save: $ 2.40 ( 20% )
Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
Author: Elizabeth Gaskell
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Average Customer Rating:
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Ruth (Penguin Classics) Description
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.8
EAN: 9780140434309
ISBN: 0140434305
Label: Penguin Classics
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 432
Publication Date: 1998-03-01
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Studio: Penguin Classics
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.8
EAN: 9780140434309
ISBN: 0140434305
Label: Penguin Classics
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 432
Publication Date: 1998-03-01
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Studio: Penguin Classics
Editorial Review of Ruth (Penguin Classics)
One of the less familiar of Mrs. Gaskell's novels, Ruth was in its own time a cause celebre which not only contributed substantially to its author's growing reputation but also won the approval of a number of her distinguished contemporaries. The text used for this edition is based upon that
of the first edition published in 1853.
of the first edition published in 1853.
Customer Reviews of Ruth (Penguin Classics)
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: resembles common mistakes & the strenght of society
Review: the story of that girl, and that "mistake" and how 90% of the world closes their door, and turns their back
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Ruth review
Review: I have read most of Elizabeth Gaskell's books, and like some of her others, this one starts out slow, but builds in interest towards the middle. You really empathize with the main character, and the harsh judgement she receives is shocking by today's standards. The book provided a lot of food for thought and was an enjoyable read.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Evocative of life in 19th century England
Review: "Ruth" is one of five books written by Elizabeth Gaskell. It deals with aspects of English life in the first half of the 19th Century.
It is difficult to say much about the plot itself without giving away important details of the story. Suffice to say that Ruth, who is an orphan and from a humble background is put through the wringer of life.
The characters and their actions are often exaggerated to the point of almost being caricatures to modern readers. But this style maximises the emotional content of many of the incidents described in the book and is very typical of "romantic" English literature of the era. The same can be said of Dickens, Thackeray and Jane Austen.
Extended descriptive passages and the drawing-out of emotional scenes can be irritating because it slows down the narrative and is too obvious a device to hook the discerning reader. Presumably readers of the day loved this stuff - much as modern readers go for similar depictions on TV and in print.
However, the narrative itself is gripping, especially towards the end of the book when events reach their climax and the various threads of the plot are drawn together. There are exciting twists and turns in the plot, almost like a modern thriller. This is where Gaskell shines - she is a very skilful constructor of intricate story plots. It is difficult to put the book down as we near the end of the story.
Another area in which Gaskell shines is her depiction of characters, even though they might be standard "types" to readers of the day.
Mr Bellingham, who later changed his name to Mr Donne, is a central figure in the story, yet he is only superficially dealt with by the author. For much of the book he is just a ghostly presence. This appears to me to be such a glaring fault that I assume the handling of Bellingham/Donne was a conscious decision of Gaskell.
I can only assume that by making him such a shadowy, almost trivial, figure Gaskell makes the contrast with Ruth's trials and tribulations even more stark and harrowing. If that is indeed the case, then this book becomes more stylistically sophisticated and modern than a mere tear-jerking romance.
"Ruth", like all Gaskell's books is an enjoyable read for the story alone. One can skip over much of the purple descriptive bits without any loss. The book also gives a valuable insight into attitudes and ways of life in the early 19th century. This will interest readers who love history. Fiction such as this can illuminate social history.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Controversial subject (for Victorian readers)
Review: Mrs. Gaskell tackled a very controversial theme in this novel (having a child out of wedlock) and shocked many of her contemporary readers. Ruth Hilton, a dressmaker, is seduced by the wealthy Henry Bellingham; he deserts her, after which she bears his child. Taken in by the kindly Thurston Benson and his sister under the pretense of being a young widow, Ruth gains employment as governess to the Bradshaw family. When Bellingham returns and Ruth will have nothing to do with him, the self-righteous Mr. Bradshaw learns the truth of her past and dismisses her. In a disappointing (though perhaps obligatory for the time) ending, when Bellingham becomes ill with cholera, Ruth goes to his aid, contracts the disease, and dies. Many have questioned why Mrs. Gaskell had to have Ruth die, and it does seem unnecessary, except that throughout the book Ruth has been portrayed almost as perfect as an angel, and perhaps it was to the angels she needed to send her. The most human character (as opposed to typecasts, as most of the others are) is Sally, the Benson's servant girl; she is funny, brutally honest, and wonderfully practical, especially in her dealings with Ruth (the scene where she crops Ruth's hair to make her look like the widow she is claiming to be is delightful). Mrs. Gaskell's purpose in writing the book was to generate sympathy for women who were victims of unscrupulous men; forty years later Thomas Hardy wrote a similar themed novel, TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES. Ruth and Tess are twin characters in many ways. It's an interesting slice-of-life from the mid-Victorian period.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Least Favorite Gaskell Novel
Review: I was surprisingly unimpressed with this book. So far I have read three of Gaskell's other novels -- North and South, Wives and Daughters and Mary Barton. I loved them all. Gaskell's faith, the elegant strength of her heroines, and the attention that she pays to the details of daily life kept me interested and engaged. Gaskell is just such a passionate and compassionate writer.I have loved the way she combines social commentary with fine story telling. But while Ruth starts out just as strong as her other books, I was bored a third of the way through. Ruth's long suffering, her sobbing and sighing and crying through her desertion by Mr. Bellingham, her motherhood, and her stuggle to overcome her sin drove me to distraction. I found this character annoying and insipid. While her early innocence was refreshing I really didn't feel there was much character development after that point. In fact, Ruth seems less like a real person than any of the other characters in Gaskell's novels. If you have never read anything by this author I would not recommend this book as the place to start. Any of the others is a better choice
Review Summary: resembles common mistakes & the strenght of society
Review: the story of that girl, and that "mistake" and how 90% of the world closes their door, and turns their back
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Ruth review
Review: I have read most of Elizabeth Gaskell's books, and like some of her others, this one starts out slow, but builds in interest towards the middle. You really empathize with the main character, and the harsh judgement she receives is shocking by today's standards. The book provided a lot of food for thought and was an enjoyable read.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Evocative of life in 19th century England
Review: "Ruth" is one of five books written by Elizabeth Gaskell. It deals with aspects of English life in the first half of the 19th Century.
It is difficult to say much about the plot itself without giving away important details of the story. Suffice to say that Ruth, who is an orphan and from a humble background is put through the wringer of life.
The characters and their actions are often exaggerated to the point of almost being caricatures to modern readers. But this style maximises the emotional content of many of the incidents described in the book and is very typical of "romantic" English literature of the era. The same can be said of Dickens, Thackeray and Jane Austen.
Extended descriptive passages and the drawing-out of emotional scenes can be irritating because it slows down the narrative and is too obvious a device to hook the discerning reader. Presumably readers of the day loved this stuff - much as modern readers go for similar depictions on TV and in print.
However, the narrative itself is gripping, especially towards the end of the book when events reach their climax and the various threads of the plot are drawn together. There are exciting twists and turns in the plot, almost like a modern thriller. This is where Gaskell shines - she is a very skilful constructor of intricate story plots. It is difficult to put the book down as we near the end of the story.
Another area in which Gaskell shines is her depiction of characters, even though they might be standard "types" to readers of the day.
Mr Bellingham, who later changed his name to Mr Donne, is a central figure in the story, yet he is only superficially dealt with by the author. For much of the book he is just a ghostly presence. This appears to me to be such a glaring fault that I assume the handling of Bellingham/Donne was a conscious decision of Gaskell.
I can only assume that by making him such a shadowy, almost trivial, figure Gaskell makes the contrast with Ruth's trials and tribulations even more stark and harrowing. If that is indeed the case, then this book becomes more stylistically sophisticated and modern than a mere tear-jerking romance.
"Ruth", like all Gaskell's books is an enjoyable read for the story alone. One can skip over much of the purple descriptive bits without any loss. The book also gives a valuable insight into attitudes and ways of life in the early 19th century. This will interest readers who love history. Fiction such as this can illuminate social history.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Controversial subject (for Victorian readers)
Review: Mrs. Gaskell tackled a very controversial theme in this novel (having a child out of wedlock) and shocked many of her contemporary readers. Ruth Hilton, a dressmaker, is seduced by the wealthy Henry Bellingham; he deserts her, after which she bears his child. Taken in by the kindly Thurston Benson and his sister under the pretense of being a young widow, Ruth gains employment as governess to the Bradshaw family. When Bellingham returns and Ruth will have nothing to do with him, the self-righteous Mr. Bradshaw learns the truth of her past and dismisses her. In a disappointing (though perhaps obligatory for the time) ending, when Bellingham becomes ill with cholera, Ruth goes to his aid, contracts the disease, and dies. Many have questioned why Mrs. Gaskell had to have Ruth die, and it does seem unnecessary, except that throughout the book Ruth has been portrayed almost as perfect as an angel, and perhaps it was to the angels she needed to send her. The most human character (as opposed to typecasts, as most of the others are) is Sally, the Benson's servant girl; she is funny, brutally honest, and wonderfully practical, especially in her dealings with Ruth (the scene where she crops Ruth's hair to make her look like the widow she is claiming to be is delightful). Mrs. Gaskell's purpose in writing the book was to generate sympathy for women who were victims of unscrupulous men; forty years later Thomas Hardy wrote a similar themed novel, TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES. Ruth and Tess are twin characters in many ways. It's an interesting slice-of-life from the mid-Victorian period.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Least Favorite Gaskell Novel
Review: I was surprisingly unimpressed with this book. So far I have read three of Gaskell's other novels -- North and South, Wives and Daughters and Mary Barton. I loved them all. Gaskell's faith, the elegant strength of her heroines, and the attention that she pays to the details of daily life kept me interested and engaged. Gaskell is just such a passionate and compassionate writer.I have loved the way she combines social commentary with fine story telling. But while Ruth starts out just as strong as her other books, I was bored a third of the way through. Ruth's long suffering, her sobbing and sighing and crying through her desertion by Mr. Bellingham, her motherhood, and her stuggle to overcome her sin drove me to distraction. I found this character annoying and insipid. While her early innocence was refreshing I really didn't feel there was much character development after that point. In fact, Ruth seems less like a real person than any of the other characters in Gaskell's novels. If you have never read anything by this author I would not recommend this book as the place to start. Any of the others is a better choice