North and South Paperback – Big Book, 5 April 1993

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, JANE AUSTEN, (1813), GEORGIAN ERA, main characters: Elizabeth Bennet and DarcyJANE EYRE, CHARLOTTE BRONTE, (1847), VICTORIAN ERA, main characters: Jane Eyre and RochesterNORTH AND SOUTH, ELIZABETH GASKELL, (1854), VICTORIAN ERA, Main Characters: Margaret Hale and John Thornton.All these classics talk about the struggles of the lives of the female protagonists. All the protagonists are sensible, resolute, rational ladies who stand up for themselves.North and South is a story about a family that moves from the south to the north of England and is repelled by the industrial town Milton. Margaret, the protagonist, feels completely out of place. The book portrays the disparity in the standards of living and the ongoing debates about the upliftment of the poor and wage wars was very commendable. It gives a clear picture of that era. The struggles of life, the nature of people, their reaction to various situations, hatred, love, the privileged and the not-so-privileged; each of these is well depicted. Under the pretext of a love story, she shows us the unjust, cruel society and a slow-burn romance with enemies to friends trope.A lady of that era who is vocal and believes in herself and goes out of the way to help others. I loved the character Margaret for all these reasons.My only contention; all these classics end in marriages. Why couldn’t it begin after they are married like Anna Karenina? Are they trying to project that life before marriage is always a rosy picture as opposed to the boring and mundane life after marriage? Hence the stories are not post-marriage.Another question is why do all men in the classics have a title and not the ladies? Mr Darcy, Mr Rocehster, Mr Thornton.The book has a lot of similarities to Pride and Prejudice.SOME QUOTES FROM THE BOOKBUT THE FUTURE MUST BE MET, HOWEVER STERN AND IRON IT BE.“A WISE PARENT HUMORS THE DESIRE FOR INDEPENDENT ACTION, SO AS TO BECOME THE FRIEND AND ADVISOR WHEN HIS ABSOLUTE RULE SHALL CEASE.”“THINKING HAS, MANY A TIME, MADE ME SAD, DARLING; BUT DOING NEVER DID IN ALL MY LIFE... MY PRECEPT IS, "DO SOMETHING, MY SISTER, DO GOOD IF YOU CAN; BUT, AT ANY RATE, DO SOMETHING".”It’s classic!