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

[BishyBarnyBee]

Following the very successful Madame Bovary readalong, we have decided to explore another woman who refused to be bound by contemporary mores.
So shocking at the time, two of Gaskell's friends burnt their copies.

"Elizabeth Gaskell's Ruth (1853) was the first mainstream novel to make a fallen woman its eponymous heroine. It is a remarkable story of love, of the sanctuary and tyranny of the family, and of the consequences of lies and deception, one that lays bare Victorian hypocrisy and sexual double-standards. Shocking to contemporary readers, its radical utopian vision of a pure woman faithfully presented predates Hardy's Tess by nearly forty years."

We will aim for two chapters a week - a weekend chapter and a mid week chapter. If I have time, I'll try and do a ChatGPT chapter summary, but anyone else is welcome to jump in if I haven't got there first.

We start 1st Jan, so if you are up for a bit of Victorian passion, guilt, regret and redemption, sign up here!

Hi, I’ve just enjoyed catching up on the last fortnight or so of discussions. So many interesting, perceptive comments and links. I very much agree with your summary above of Gaskell’s overall purpose @BishyBarnyBee.

I can only add that her overarching one was so often, like Dickens, to describe the condition of England across what they saw as the ‘two nations’ of rich and poor. On a previous page, someone mentioned Gaskell’s over-reliance on coincidences. Well, she wasn’t alone! As well as creating more exciting stories for serialisation, I think many Victorian writers probably needed to use coincidence and contrivance to enable the meeting of characters whose paths might not otherwise cross that class divide. I also prefer a plot that arises organically from character - or at least a mix of character and circumstance - but in fact, isn’t that what Gaskell gives us at the critical point when Ruth ends up going to London with Bellingham? If I remember correctly, she’d just decided to run for refuge with the old couple in her former home, but suddenly realised she had no money to pay for the tea that Bellingham had ordered for her while he went off for their carriage. That meant she’d have to wait for him to return to pay it, and realised she’d be powerless to say no to him at that point. So isn’t it her character, her honesty, that seals her fate in that moment?

On penitentiaries for women, and sexual desire in female characters in 19thc literature, I must mention poet Christina Rossetti. She followed her much more devout older sister Maria into volunteering at the St Mary Magdalene Penitentiary in Highgate for ‘fallen women’, and worked there for 11 years as a ‘sister-saviour’, a term that tells you a lot about the regime of rehabilitation. What’s most interesting and ironic is that at the same time as she started there in 1859, she was writing her most famous, richly ambiguous poem ‘Goblin Market’ about Laura (Christina?) and Lizzie (Mary?), two sisters faced with the temptation of symbolic forbidden fruit sold by ‘goblin men’. It captures brilliantly the duality of women at that time eg the virtuous v ‘fallen’ woman - or within women torn between duty and sexual desire. It’s a fantastically easy read, with a rattling rhythm and fabulous mouth-watering imagery, but there’s so much more going on below the child-friendly entertaining surface.

Edited to add a link to this brilliant poem. Lucky you, if you’re reading it for the first time! https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44996/goblin-market

And to recommend ‘Lizzie Leigh’, Gaskell’s very moving novella (only a few chapters long) about a ‘fallen woman’ in the urban setting of Manchester. (Clear similarities with Mary Barton). Good to compare/contrast with Ruth, as here the mother figures as a major character, and the ‘fallen woman’ is quite different from Ruth.

Lizzie Leigh: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2521/2521-h/2521-h.htm

Thank you @ShabanahFazal I'll definitely read it. It's on Kindle as well. Very good point about character and circumstance. It was equally one and the other!
@BishyBarnyBee I really liked your post that brought up what being a good Christian meant to people, whether that was in word only or in deed as it's very central to the book.

Chapter 11
In which another strong-willed older woman enters the story and first judges Ruth, then softens, judges again then proposes a solution which will pivot the fate of years - and not in a good way.

Benson writes to ask his sister to come and we see how much he respects her- and how poor they are. She arrives full of concern for him and scepticism for the fallen woman, but a reproving word from Benson makes her regret her comment that Ruth might be better dead.

Her ambivalence makes her drag out their afternoon tea, but when she sees "the poor lovely creature who lay thus stricken and felled", her heart softens. She sends the weary Benson and Hughes to bed and nurses Ruth through the night. Ruth awakens and Miss B strokes her hand and tells her she is a friend - and her own heart unlocks as she does so.

The doctor comes and Miss B is shocked to learn that Ruth is pregnant - and even more shocked when Ruth thanks God for the baby. Benson and Miss B debate theology and he suggests that the child could be the making of Ruth, but they both recoil at the implications for the poor illegitimate child. With great sadness, they recall an old acquaintance who drowned at sea rather than live with the shame of his birth.

Miss B realises that Ruth's utter friendlessness and isolation could be an advantage, in allowing Ruth to pass as a widow. Their desire to protect the innocent child, and their recall of "the obnoxious word in the baptismal registry (which) told him that he must go forth branded into the world, with his hand against every man's, and every man's against him", overcome Benson's scruples, but Gaskell tells us that this will have serious long term consequences. Benson has turned the pivot of fate the wrong way - not for his own sake, but for the helpless baby about to enter a cruel and biting world.

@ShabanahFazal thanks for those links. I'd never come across the poem before and it is stunning. On one level it reminded me of those little flower fairy images which were so poplar in the 70s - all delicate watercolours and rich detail. Then on another level it's pure filth! All those leering, physically repulsive but so very tempting goblins - just brilliant.

I wonder if Rosetti wrote about her time in the penitentiaries? Given that she wrote the poem just when she started, she might have very interesting things to say about it.

Not had time to read the novella but very much looking forward to it.

Do you by any chance work in the field of history/literature? Very much appreciating your wider knowledge here!

So glad you loved the poem! Rossetti is by my far my favourite Victorian female poet and GM is her absolute masterpiece. And yes, looked at through a modern Freudian lens, extraordinary filthy - to the point where in the early 70s, Playboy commissioned a series of parody images of Arthur Rackham’s classic child-friendly illustrations that left nothing to the imagination! (All on Google Image). Obviously, that’s a crude take for such a rich, beautiful poem. It’s so ambiguous and open to interpretation that it’s been read as a child’s fable, Christian allegory, Gothic adventure, feminist celebration of sisterhood and liberation, critique of capitalism - and so much more. I tend to favour the more edifying and feminist readings, but the dark, naughty ones are fascinating too!

I don’t remember seeing any of her writing about her time at the penitentiary, but I’m no expert, especially in the background historical context, so I’m grateful to others digging into that. I’ve just read and studied quite a lot of 19th century literature and tend to get fired up more by the writing itself, but the historical context only when it illuminates some aspect of that. Maybe I should dig more. It’s the old reader’s curse: the more you read, the more you realise the less you know!

This part of the book is quite slow and sad, but I found some enjoyable moments in this chapter. More glorious description of natural beauty - the peaceful vale and flat white pebbled stream. Benson's valiant attempts to speak Welsh meeting utter bafflement from the boy. Miss Benson's manly whistle, her distrust of romance, and her deliberately dragging out afternoon tea because she really is in no hurry to commence the distasteful interview.

But the pace feels like slightly hard going at this point and I'm wondering if that's why comments have dropped off a bit? l'll keep going with the chapter summaries for now but might stop if I feel I'm basically writing to myself here!

I like Victorian literature and enjoyed Gaskell's other works but am finding the religious stuff a bit preachy. Not sure it's for me. Hopefully it'll abate!

There aren't any divisions other than chapters in the book but it feels like we have started part two. The pace is going to slow a bit as Ruth begins her new life with the Bensons. It's like she is entering a haven of safety. The Bensons live strictly by their faith and defer continuously to God but they are so genuinely caring towards Ruth that you look beyond preachiness I think. Well, I did.

Bishy, I can do a summary on Sundays if you like. There's a lot of book to go yet. Yes, it's a bit quiet on the thread alright, for whatever reason.

I have divisions! Part Two after Chapter 13!

Bishy, I am still here and appreciating your excellent summaries!

I am also still reading along and appreciating the chat. I haven’t commented much because I’m usually a bit behind so by the time I get here someone else has already said what I thought!

You have divisions, Piggy?!
I raise you chapter headings.

I'm really happy to carry on as long as I know there's someone out there! I've done a lot of lurking on readalongs so I know exactly how it is, just didn't want to keep flogging a dead horse if I was on my own here. @FuzzyCaoraDhubh , I might take you up on that at some point but I'm OK at the moment and enjoying the rigour of having to read a lot more closely than I would normally.

Chapter 12
In which Ruth proudly rejects a cold offer of money from the wealthy Bellinghams and gratefully accepts a warm offer of shelter from the penurious Bensons.

Ruth recovers a little and confides her circumstances to Faith Benson. The Bensons consider taking her in as a widowed orphan relation, but worry about both the morality of the pretence, and the possibility it being discovered.

Ruth is shown the £50 note but realises it is offered in lieu of love, and sends it back. Realizing Bellingham no longer loves her, she falls into utter dejection and annoys Faith by showing no gratitude for their offer to take her home. Thurston points out that goodness should be its own reward but Faith is not quite convinced.

Ruth sews a black widow's gown and says goodbye to the Welsh landscape which she came to in a vision of love but leaves in quivering sadness.

Though Ruth is oblivious, the reader starts to see to see just how poor the Bensons are, and how much it will cost them to support her. They give her an inside seat on the coach while they sit outside, have biscuits instead of dinner and don't stop for the night though Thurston is exhausted. A little awareness breaks through Ruth's misery and she swaps places with him for the final miles of the journey and sees her first glimpse of the smoke clad town of Ecclestone which will now be her home.

I'd definately still out here! It's just been a manic week and I am a chapter or two behind. Hoping to catch up later this week and share my fascinating (not!) insights

No worries, @BishyBarnyBee . Any time!!

Part of me is thinking 'good for you' as Ruth rejects Bellingham's money, but they could have put the fifty pounds to good use as well. They are as poor as chuch mice.

'Quivering sadness' is a lovely description. Very nice summary, Bishy.

I'm still here! And really appreciating the summaries. It feels like we're in a transition part of the book here, though obviously some heavy hints from EG that there are (more) rough times to come for Ruth as a result of the lie about her widowed status.

Definitely not on your own Bishy and I am still here too but catching up. Thank you for summarising.

I think they should have kept that £50.00 between them all and wish it had not been sent back. They are certainly going to need it. It is a good plan they have with Ruth changing her name to Mrs Denbigh. Let’s hope it works and Ruth does not stumble across anyone she knows in Eccleston to disrupt the plan of Ruth’s disguise as a widow. Mr and Mrs Benson are very kind to take on Ruth and her future baby.

I know what you mean about the £50 @Midnightstar76 I have a practical side too! She and they do need it.

She won't accept money instead of love - of course.

Wouldn't taking the money make her into a paid (off) servant - one providing very personal services as it is money for sex...

@LiesDoNotBecomeUs I agree the money would have made her into a paid off servant but in her naivety she has a very rose tinted view of what she thinks was love. I wonder if she will cross paths with the scoundrel again, and if she survives child birth if the child will be known to him.

I think that the offer and return of the money is also another way the author has of demonstrating that this 'fallen woman' was the more honourable person in the whole exchange.

It also (daringly) gets us to think about Ruth's situation from the inside (even though as respectable novel-reading people we would naturally see ourselves as so much above her in moral status).

Knowing that the money is so much needed and that keeping it could be justified by us (for care of the baby - paying those supporting her etc.) involves us more. (The author wants us to be wondering what we would do in Ruth's position - thinking like fallen women :) ).

It makes us see Ruth in new light again. It was a strong thing for a fragile being to do.

Yes. Ruth is made of strong stuff. You would wonder what would have happened to her if she hadn't been taken in by the Bensons. It would have been the penitentiary, I suppose.

Great points in your post @LiesDoNotBecomeUs

@BishyBarnyBee , I adore your summaries and I'm still very much here! I just get bogged down by work sometimes. I have these intense 8-week uni terms, during which I find it hard to keep up with leisure reading. Those are followed by long breaks when I feel human again. And I'm just finishing week 4 of the current term, so am distracted and a bit overwhelmed.

Anyway, I'm still greatly enjoying the novel and everyone's astute comments. One thing on my mind is the huge double standard in terms of men and women having premarital sex: for the man, it's easily glossed over, whereas for the woman, it's life-changing. The fact that Mr B's mother judges Ruth so harshly, but doesn't condemn her son at all, is a vivid illustration of society's double standards.

The info about the women's penitentiary was very interesting; I had no idea that existed. I also reread 'Goblin Market' for the first time in many years; thanks @ShabanahFazal . It is such a sensual poem and I love the image of sisterly bonding and support.

The novel's current discourse is quite religious, but that's an important aspect of 19th c thought obviously. As a teenager and devout evangelical Christian, I read a lot of novels by George MacDonald, a Scottish preacher, and OMG the sermons went on for pages! As an adult I find the religious discourse more hard going, but there's definitely a kind of 19th c. Christianity that can be radical and socially lefty: the kind that extends compassion and understanding to people on society's margins, of whom Ruth is one.