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Each event, no matter how seemingly insignificant, turns out to be vital to move the story along, and shape the fate of its characters. If Mr.Gibson's apprentice, young Mr.Coxe, hadn't have been infatuated with his daughter, would she have been sent to the Hamley's or would her father have remarried at all? So each subtle device is used to great effect, with little wastage.
Even though I knew the plot, vaguely, from the TV series, knew what was going to happen, I still felt emotionally unprepared for the one or two tragedies. It's fair to say that it brought tears to my eyes. Nor was I prepared for the humour in the story.
Gaskell's triumph, above all, must lay in the skilled portrayal of her characters. Cynthia, in particular, is not an easy character to analyse, yet Gaskell has managed to create this girl; beautiful but deeply flawed, that despite all her failings, we still care about.
The great tragedy is that Gaskell died before the novel's completion. We know what is about to happen, some of the loose ends have already been tied up, but the main one, the one we all yearn for is the final chapter that is missing. In it's way, this immortalises the novel like the untimely death of a rock star. The publisher's moving notes at the end, explaining how Gaskell intended the novel to finish are a fitting tribute and finish to the book. The book carries you tantalisingly to the conclusion, we can only dream and use our imaginations as to how Gaskell would have expressed it. Which unintentionally, adds to its perfections!
With a cast of memorable characters; from the lowly Miss.Brownings to the upper-crust family at the Towers, with the brash but likeable Lady Harriet; and an intricately woven plot, little criticism can be levelled at 'Wives and Daughters'.
A satisfying read that I, for one, will probably return to again.
The relationships between family are what really power this book, especially that between Cynthia and Molly, the two opposites. Cynthia is inconstant and immoral, but she knows it, and also knows that's how she will always be: this is what makes her modern. One of the best speeches in the book is when she says to Molly "Don't you see that I've gone beyond the realm of 'ought' and 'shan't'...? Love me as I am, sweet one, for I shall never be better." Molly, in contrast, is totally unaware and has to learn to recognise herself and her feelings. But I don't think you can find her boring: anyone who has ever felt shy or been ignored in favour of someone who is better at adapting to society will sympathise with Molly. She endures her stepmother's meddling as best she can, and even when the town turns against her, she keeps her head high. It is a shame that Gaskell died before writing Molly's natural reward, but we have the television series for that.
I would recommend this for anyone who likes a study of human nature: Gaskell is as insightful as Austen and Hardy, but far more tolerant.
If there is a disappointment in W&D it is that it is unfortunately unfinished. Another chapter would probably have done it, but unfortunately Mrs Gaskell died before its completion. You can pretty much guess at what is going to happen, and the note from the editor of Cornhill magazine enlarged upon Mrs Gaskell's plans. If you are truly unsatisfied with the abrupt breaking off of the story, could I point you in the direction of the BBC TV version? It's very faithful too the book, although I think Osborne Hamley is made more sympathetic, and gives a satisfactory conclusion to the piece, even if not quite what may have been intended.
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