New Year, New Fallen Woman: Elizabeth Gaskell's Ruth Readalong

We're back to Ruth's moral redemption again, aren't we, which has always been the dullest element of the story. And Jemima is a reformed character too! We urgently need some character flaws, poor Sally's idiosyncrasies are having to carry a lot of weight here.

Chapter 29

In which life settles into a monotonous tranquility, Jemima and Ruth have a fond meeting, Jemima is married and Ruth finds a vocation as a sick nurse.

Life in the Benson household has settled down and in some ways, the fact that the worst has happened has relieved the fear of discovery and brought a kind of tranquility. Life is somewhat grey and monotonous but Sally has softened as she ages and brings a spot of brightness. She is outraged when her deafness is referred to, but when Leonard smiles at her indignation, she is pleased to have put a smile on his face. He helps her draw out her life savings to give to Benson and frames the now superfluous will so she can display the long words she is so proud of.

2 years pass and Jemima's engagement is now common knowledge. On the eve of the wedding, Jemima comes to the house and the two women embrace, Jemima asking for forgiveness and Ruth expressing her gratitude for Jemima's support in the painful interview with Bradshaw. The household offer their congratulations and Jemima enjoys Sally's contempt for what she wrongly assumes to be Jemima's wedding dress.

While Jemima is away, Ruth nurses the old lady she befriended during Leonard's illness, who has suffered a potentially fatal hip fracture. Jemima returns from the continent to find Ruth has an offer of work as a sick nurse. Jemima tries to persuade Ruth she deserves better, but Ruth is determined to find a way to be useful. Jemima is disappointed as she and Walter had planned to persuade Ruth to visit them often, but Ruth says she feels she could not visit - but would always come if Jemima were ill or sorrowful.

I think maybe in the same way that Ruth holding Donne's hands meant she was ruined, it didn't take much social interaction for two people to know they were in a relationship? I think there is a social code which is a bit subtle for us but would have been very clear to the Victorian reader.

Farquhar and Jemima have re-bonded over their concern for Ruth, and she warmly expresses her gratitude to him. This new warmth emboldens him to ask her to call him Walter - which would take the relationship to a new level. She jokingly says he is too old, he is offended, then she relents and calls him Walter - which is an acceptance of his coded proposal. So it is not as out of the blue as it seems.

The other thing that grated on me was the reference to "the control which he should have a right to exercise over her actions at some future day". It's softened by the fact that she has just announced her intention to disobey him, but as I think I said upthread, it's as if the best a girl could hope for was to marry a benevolent dictator. It's the same trope of an older, wiser man taming a spirited young woman that we see in Austin. Obviously so much better than a controlling hypocrite like Bradshaw, but even so...

It's a very interesting point, @Piggywaspushed. I think it may be only me that used Mrs Gaskell? Possibly because I'm doing the summaries and using Mr and Mrs a lot? Or possibly because she was Mrs Gaskell when I was doing my A levels? Or, as you say, because it's quick to write. Looking back at the thread, I've used a mixture of Gaskell, Mrs Gaskell and Mrs G without really thinking about it too much.

I don't relate to the premise that we are "supposed to" use certain vocabulary, as it implies there is a right way and a wrong way, whereas actually it's all just opinions, really. I can see why the publishers decided to use her full name, as no male author would be referred to as Mr X. And in fact I can't think of many other female authors referred to as Mrs - Mrs Beeton, maybe? Is that because it was rare for a married woman to be able to write? But I'd think she would have been very proud to see her name on the front of her books, and if she called herself Mrs Gaskell, I don't think it's necessarily disrepectful to use it now. I might just stick to Gaskell now it's been raised though.

I've never managed to be consistent in a Mumsnet read along and find I either fall behind or get gripped and read ahead. It's only offering to lead this one that's forced me to stay on track this time. But they have made me read things I wouldn't otherwise and I think they are one of the best things about Mumsnet. I think it's very normal to dip in and out, glad you made it back!

Chapter 28
In which the Benson household adjusts to the new situation, Farquhar and Jemima bond in sympathy for Ruth, Farquhar rebounds in Jemima's direction and a secret joyful understanding is reached.

Every day brings new pain, as Eccleston responds to the news of Ruth's disgrace. The Bradshaw's empty pew causes Thurstan particular regret and he feels awkward meeting Jemima in the street but she grasps his hands with honest delight. She knows she must obey her father, but is desperate for news of Ruth. Her eyes fill with tears as she acknowledges that if not for her social position, her headstrong and passionate nature might have made her just like Ruth, or worse.

Leonard is barely coping, fearing to go into the streets to be pointed at as an object of remark. Ruth wants to be useful but "the waters of housekeeping had closed over her place" while she worked for the Bradshaws. She brings in a small income from occasional needlework, but the household budget is suffering the loss of her £40 salary and the Bradshaw's £20 pew-rent, which Thurstan has returned on principle.

Jemima and Farquhar have bonded over their shared sympathy for Ruth. He cares enough to be saddened by any censure of her name, but is thankful he never expressed his regard and thinks his affection was unobserved. Jemima had not only observed it but is aware that he has rebounded towards her largely because of her courage in championing Ruth. She asks Farquhar to visit the Bensons to enquire about Ruth. He begins with general conversation, and we learn that Donne has been jilted by his fiancee, whose Baronet father has been exposed as a gaming cheat. They discuss Leonard and hatch a plan to get him out of the house each day to collect Farquhar's copy of the Times.

The regular contact between Farquhar and Benson is a conduit for news between the two estranged families, but Jemima is frustrated by the lack of detail in Farquhar's reports. He agrees to visit to ask more penetrating questions and when she thanks him warmly, begs her to call him Walter. Jemima wants to yield to his tone of voice but she is afraid to give way and teases him that he is too old and it would be disrespectful. When he rises coldly to leave the room, an impulse makes her use his name.

He turns round, glowing with delight, while she turns as red as a rose and drops her eyes to the ground. They remain downcast for the next half hour, which Gaskell tactfully draws a veil over. An agreement has been reached but she asks him not to tell her father and they enjoy a secret joyful understanding in their hearts.

Are we leaning towards Dangerous Liaisons for our next fallen woman?

Sparknotes has a full summary of Dangerous Liaisons organised in 175 letters divided into 15 exchanges. Those of you who've read it - would it work as a letter a day? An exchange a week?

Or if some of you have already read it, would you rather do something new to you? Should we do a poll?

It was very hard for me not to do a Mrs Gaskell and insert an authorly comment when Bradshaw calls Benson "a man who has deluded himself into considering falsehood right". I was outraged on Benson's behalf that this hypocritical, self-seeking, pompous ass could criticise the practically sainted Thurstan, who never acts without searching his conscience for guidance. How easy it is for a supposedly religious pillar of the community to forget his own shortcomings while frothing at the mouth thinking of a beautiful young girl's sin.

Ruth's repeated thoughts that she would be better dead are very well written throughout the book, I think. It is literally the only way out she can see, and she is repeatedly saved from it by the goodness and love of the Benson household. It is noticeable that she is much quicker to reject the idea this time and that Benson is able to break through her trembling state when he tells her they love her too much for her to leave them.

Faith is also lovely at the end of the chapter - we've all had those days where what we needed was soft loving tones and a cup of violet-tea. I think she is right when she says the years of peace have made Ruth strong enough to bear what would have broken her when she first came to Eccleston.