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    Quick Guide: Mary Barton
    Quick Guide: Mary Barton
    Quick Guide: Mary Barton
    Ebook61 pages35 minutes

    Quick Guide: Mary Barton

    By Students' Academy

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    About this ebook

    The novel is subtitled “A Tale of Manchester Life.”

    Though the book was first published anonymously, it came to be known widely that Elizabeth Gaskell was the author of the book.

    “Mary Barton” received mixed reviews after its first publication. The positive ones praised its honesty and fidelity to fact, whereas the negative reviews mostly criticized it for presenting a distorted picture of the relationships between the employer and employee in England.

    Since the novel was published anonymously, it created an obvious sensation. According to Elizabeth Gaskell, she was also sometimes a part of the group of authors who made guesses about the writer of the book.

    Quick Guide: Mary Barton
    Copyright
    Chapter One: Introduction and Overview
    Chapter Two: Characters
    Chapter Three: Plot Summary
    Chapter Four: Complete Summary
    Chapter Five: Critical Analysis

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRaja Sharma
    Release dateAug 8, 2013
    ISBN9781301263103
    Quick Guide: Mary Barton
    Author

    Students' Academy

    Easy study guides for the students of English literature.

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      Book preview

      Quick Guide - Students' Academy

      Quick Guide: Mary Barton

      Copyright

      Quick Guide: Mary Barton

      College Guide World

      Copyright@2013 College Guide World

      Smashwords Edition

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      Chapter One: Introduction and Overview

      Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell, was first published in the year 1848. The story of the novel is set in Manchester, a city in England, between 1839 and 1842.

      The story revolves around the difficulties which were faced by the people of the Victorian lower class.

      The novel is subtitled A Tale of Manchester Life.

      Though the book was first published anonymously, it came to be known widely that Elizabeth Gaskell was the author of the book.

      Mary Barton received mixed reviews after its first publication. The positive ones praised its honesty and fidelity to fact, whereas the negative reviews mostly criticized it for presenting a distorted picture of the relationships between the employer and employee in England.

      Since the novel was published anonymously, it created an obvious sensation. According to Elizabeth Gaskell, she was also sometimes a part of the group of authors who made guesses about the writer of the book.

      The story opens in some fields outside Manchester. After an enjoyable holiday, two families meet.

      George and Jane Wilson have their twin babies with them. Their son Jem is playing with other boys.

      John Barton and his wife, Mary, are there. Mary is heavily pregnant. Their daughter is also named Mary; she is playing nearby.

      When these two families meet after a holiday, the two men invite their wives to sit and chat. The men take a walk together and start discussing Mary’s sister, Esther, who has run away from her home few nights earlier.

      John has a belief that she is not going be happy because her sister has spoiled her and she has become over independence because of the wages she earns at the factory.

      John firmly declares that he is never going to allow his daughter to work in a factory. He does not want her to become a lady, like Esther had.

      Jem comes running and snatches a kiss from Mary. She slaps on his face. These two families begin to walk towards Barton House to have tea.

      Mary is sent to arrange provisions and to invite Alice Wilson, George’s sister who is a nurse.

      In the evening, Alice toasts to the friends who are absent. Mrs. Barton is not pleased and she begins to weep. However, she forgives Alice. The same night after a few hours, Mrs. Barton passes away. She is said to have died of a shock, obviously Esther’s disappearance.

      Three years pass, and Mary becomes an apprentice dress maker. Barton is deeply involved in the Trades’ Union.

      After about one year, Alice introduces Mary, who is now seventeen and very beautiful, to Margaret Jennings and her grandfather Job Legh.

      Mary is mesmerized by Margaret’s lovely voice. The girls and Job and John become good friends.

      It transpires that Margaret sews for her living, but she is going blind. Mary comes to know that Margaret has a chance to sing.

      A wealthy mill owner’s son, Harry Carson, is attracted to Mary. She continues to spurn Jem Wilson’s unspoken love for her. She does not speak to Jem, though he has a good job as a mechanic. Jem bravely rescues his father and another man from a burning mill, proving that he is kind and helpful, but Mary is not impressed.

      The fire takes place in Mr. Carson’s mill. After the fire George Wilson goes out of work and he is forced to use Jem’s income to support the family.

      The times happen

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