Wives and Daughters

Elizabeth Cleghorn GaskellApr 2015

4.3

Word count: 324K words
Chapters: 66

Summary

Miss Eyre listened in silence, perplexed but determined to be obedient to the directions of the doctor, whose kindness she and her family had good cause to know. She made strong tea; she helped the young men liberally in Mr Gibson's absence, as well as in his presence, and she found the way to unloosen their tongues, whenever their master was away, by talking to them on trivial subjects in her pleasant homely way. --This text refers to the Paperback edition. Set in English society before the 1832 Reform Bill, this narrative traces the development of two girls into womanhood within the gossiping and watchful society of Hollingford.

Editor's review

Wives and Daughters is Mrs. Gaskell's last work, left unfinished when she died of illness; the ending was supplied by an editor based on her plan. Set in the English country town of Hollingford, the novel centers on Molly, daughter of country doctor Gibson: her mother dies early, her father remarries, and her stepmother's daughter Cynthia is clever and charming; the two girls mirror each other through family affection, love and gossip. Gaskell excels at advancing the narrative through everyday trifles, rendering the etiquette of gentry families, the calculations in courtship and marriage, and the subtle feelings between stepmother and stepdaughter with delicacy and restraint. Compared with works of the same era, it has fewer dramatic coincidences and more sympathy for characters' circumstances, reading gently but with lingering flavor. Readers who want to understand Victorian English country-town life and women's situation will find it engaging; the plain, fluent English original also makes suitable advanced reading material.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Chinese readers who enjoy Victorian English novels
Readers concerned with women's growth and family relationships
Learners who want to improve English reading through the original novel

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer strong plots and fast-paced narrative
Those who want an ending finalized by the author herself
Readers impatient with details of English country-town life

Reading tips

Read the translation first to clarify relationships, then read dialogues closely against the English original
Note the contrast between Molly and Cynthia; the two choices reflect different situations for women
Understand the stepmother's situation within the social norms of the time rather than judging hastily
When reaching the editor's supplementary final chapter, look back at earlier foreshadowing to sense the author's intent

版权信息
Part 1
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XIII.
Part 2
CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXII.
CHAPTER XXIII.
CHAPTER XXIV.
CHAPTER XXV.
CHAPTER XXVI.
CHAPTER XXVII.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Part 3
CHAPTER XXIX.
CHAPTER XXX.
CHAPTER XXXI.
CHAPTER XXXII.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
CHAPTER XXXV.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Part 4
CHAPTER XL.
CHAPTER XLI.
CHAPTER XLII.
CHAPTER XLIII.
CHAPTER XLIV.
CHAPTER XLV.
CHAPTER XLVI.
CHAPTER XLVII.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
CHAPTER XLIX.
Part 5
CHAPTER L.
CHAPTER LI.
CHAPTER LII.
CHAPTER LIII.
CHAPTER LIV.
CHAPTER LV.
CHAPTER LVI.
CHAPTER LVII.
CHAPTER LVIII.
CHAPTER LIX.
CHAPTER LX.

FAQ

Why does this novel have no true ending?

Mrs. Gaskell died of illness while writing, and the work was still unfinished when its magazine serialization reached the final issue. Later editions usually have an editor supply the final chapter based on her outline and related materials, so the ending differs in style from the earlier parts; readers may note this.

Can I read it without having read other Gaskell works?

Yes. The book has many characters but clear relationships, and the story stands relatively independent of her other works. First-time readers can adjust to the slow narrative pace and focus on dialogue and everyday scenes; once absorbed, it has a distinctive flavor.

How difficult is the English original?

Overall, moderately advanced. Sentences are long and include country accents and period expressions, but the plot advances largely through dialogue and scenes, so it is not hard to follow after looking up new words. Reading the translation first to familiarize yourself with the plot, then returning to the original, can reduce frustration.

Comments

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About the author

Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell Author

Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, often known to Chinese readers as Mrs. Gaskell, was a nineteenth-century British novelist. Public information about her is limited, and the library holds no record of her birth and death dates or her education. The site currently includes two of her works: Cranford and Wives and Daughters. The former is set in the daily life of a small town, sketching its neighbors' trivialities and warmth in a gentle, humorous tone; the latter focuses on family relations and a young woman's growth, with finely drawn characters. Her writing distills drama from ordinary life, and her plain yet pointed language has led her work to be classed as inspirational coming-of-age fiction. Both novels remain important texts for observing Victorian provincial society and human feeling.