“Really it is very wholesome exercise, this trying to make one’s words represent one’s thoughts, instead of merely looking to their effect on others.”
E. Gaskell, Cousin Phillis
Welcome to the 13th stop on the Elizabeth Gaskell 200th Anniversary Blog Tour! I chose to dive into Mrs. Gaskell’s novellas, so after some online search and a lot of indecision I decided to review three of them (a bit ambitious, I know, but I just couldn’t choose): Mr. Harrison’s Confessions (1851) and Lady Ludlow (1959), both part of the Cranford Chronicles, and Cousin Phillis (1964), which according to the Literary Encyclopedia, “has been called the most perfect story in English”. They can all be read online for free. Please also note that there will be some spoilers in the reviews.
You’ll be happy to know that one lucky commenter will win a copy of an unabridged edition of North and South by Naxos AudioBooks read by Clare Willie. Deadline to leave your 2-cents is midnight US Pacific-time on 7 October. The winner will be drawn from names from all the posts in the Tour on 8 October (CD shipments to US and Canada, download for all other countries). Good luck to all of The Sleepless Reader’s commenters, I’m rooting for you!
You’ll find the next blog on the Tour after the review. Enjoy and Happy Gaskell anniversary
Cousin Phillis (1864)
For an unknown reason, Paul Manning wants to tell us about his Cousin Phillis. His first-person narration starts when he is seventeen years old and has just left home for the first time to become a clerk at a railway company. They are building a new branch line from Eltham to Hornby, and his mother insists he visits some distant relations living nearby in Heathbridge. It is here that he meets Minister Ebenezer Holman, a farmer-clergyman, his wife and his beautiful daughter Phillis.
(Just a small parenthesis to say that I liked Paul right from the first pages because I also found that the best thing about moving out of my parents’ house was to be able to eat what I wanted when I wanted.)
Phillis’ world is small, simple and regular, the predictably of the seasons so vital to the farm also apply to her day-to-day. However, there is a side to her that goes beyond this fenced world: she reads in Virgil in Latin, she’s trying to read Dante in Italian and she’s her father’s best scholar. The unexpected intellectual vastness in such a Victorian heroine as Phillis (all freshness and innocence) is one of the first glimpses we have into how, with Cousin Phillis, Gaskell astutely crafted a gentle tragedy that does not follow a conventional Victorian pattern.
We are tricked into expecting a love-story between Phillis and Paul, but almost from the start Paul realizes he cannot think of Phillis in any way other than as a sister: she’s smarter and more educated than he is and (unforgivable!) she’s taller. However, Paul will be responsible for introducing to the family their future nemesis in the form of his manager, the widely travelled and worldly Mr. Holdsworth.
Inevitably, Phillips and Holdsworth fall in love, but before they openly admit it to each other, Holdsworth is invited to work for 2 years in Canada. It’s an opportunity he can’t refuse and before he leaves he confesses to Paul his plans to come back and marry Phillis. Like the good Victorian heroine, Phillis health starts to decline and to comfort her, Paul tells her his secret – as expected, Phillis blooms once more. Tragedy however, looms in the horizon: Holdsworth is a man of the world and before long he is engaged to another. The shock of this news and knowing that for the first time her father knows what is wrong with her, leads Phillis into a “brain fever” so serious it threatens her life.
But our Dante-reading heroine has the nerve not to die. Instead, in comes Gaskell’s delightful sense of humour, and the servant Betty shakes Phillis out of her illness with her no-nonsense attitude:
‘Now Phillis!’ said she, coming up to the sofa, ‘we ha’ done a’ we can for you, and th’ doctors has done a’ they can for you, and I think the Lord has done a’ he can for you, and more than you deserve, too, if you don’t do something for yourself.’
Like other Gaskell’s stories, Cousin Phillis revolves around the themes that seemed to have worried Elizabeth Gaskell: the not-so-smooth transition into the Industrial Revolution and the different worlds in which men and women live. Paul and Holdsworth are the new world of mechanicals and railways, meeting and changing the traditional English rural way of life. Phillis’ gentle tragedy is a micro-example of what was happening in a larger scale to villages like Heathbridge all over England.
But will Phillis and her family go back to ‘the peace of the old days’? We know they can’t. From what I’ve read online, Gaskell wanted to write two more instalments of the story showing an unmarried Phillis doing good works in her little community. I have to admit that I’m glad she didn’t. This way we can still imagine a happy future for Phillis. The maiden who loved once and can never love again was one Victorian cliché that unfortunately Gaskell could not overcome here.
Another great image by the Queen of domestic descriptions:
The tranquil monotony of that hour made me feel as if I had lived for ever, and should live for ever droning out paragraphs in that warm sunny room, with m two quiet hearers, and the curled-up pussy cat sleeping on the heart-rug, and the clock on the house-stairs perpetually clicking out the passage of the moments.
***** ***** *****
Follow this link to the next blog on the Elizabeth Gaskell Bicenterary Blog Tour by Janeite Deb at Jane Austen in Vermont, who will make available a Gaskell Library, full of MP3′s, ebooks, audio books, other downloads and reading resources.
The other stops on the Tour:
Biography
- 1.) Elizabeth Gaskell’s life and times: Vic – Jane Austen’s World
Novels/Biography
- 2.) Mary Barton (1848) Book: Kelly – Jane Austen Sequel Examiner
- 3.) Cranford (2007) Movie: Laura – The Calico Critic
- 4.) Ruth (1853) Book: Joanna – Regency Romantic
- 5.) North and South (1854–5) Book: Laurel Ann – Austenprose
- 6.) North and South (2004) Movie: Maria – Fly High
- 7.) Sylvia’s Lovers (1863) Book: Courtney – Stiletto Storytime
- 8.) Wives and Daughters (1865) Book: Katherine – November’s Autumn
- 9.) Wives and Daughters (1999) Movie: Elaine – Random Jottings
- 10.) The Life of Charlotte Bronte (1857) Book & (1973) Movie, The Brontes of Haworth: JaneGS – Reading, Writing, Working, Playing
Novellas – me!
- 11.) Mr. Harrison’s Confessions (1851)
- 12.) My Lady Ludlow (1859)
- 13.) Cousin Phillis (1864)
Resources
- 14.) Your Gaskell Library – Links to MP3′s, ebooks, audio books, other downloads and reading resources available online: Janeite Deb – Jane Austen in Vermont
- 15.) Plymouth Grove – A Visit to Elizabeth Gaskell’s home in Manchester: Tony Grant – London Calling
27 comments
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September 29, 2010 at 10:55 am
Andre
Interesting and amazing to realize how internet and book bloggers can be together in the same cause at the same time… I’m looking forward for the audiobook (If I’m lucky enough)!!;)
September 30, 2010 at 9:37 am
Alex
Isn’t it? I’ve only been bookblogging for a bit over 5 months and that also surprised me. Good luck!
September 29, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Joanna
I’ve never read anything by Gaskell, I might have to add her to my list! I love the idea of these blog tours, by the way!
September 30, 2010 at 9:40 am
Alex
If you want to get a taste for her, check out BBC’s adaptation of North & South. That’s what got me started.
September 29, 2010 at 4:25 pm
BibliophileBytheSea
This sound like something I would enjoy. I have never read this author, so thanks for posting about her.
September 30, 2010 at 9:44 am
Alex
Apart from teh adaptations, a short-story is also a nice “test-drive” for Gaskell. But if you like the likes of Jane Austen, you’ll almost sure like Gaskell as well.
September 29, 2010 at 10:33 pm
Linda B
This one does not sound as appealing as the other two novellas, but being as how it is Elizabeth Gaskell, I know it would be worthwhile.
September 30, 2010 at 10:36 am
Alex
I got the exact same feeling: a less-good Gaskell is still very good!
September 29, 2010 at 11:08 pm
Lynne
I am ready for the novella tonight! I enjoyed all three reviews and recognized the Cranford adaptation in two of them.
Yes, Mrs. Gaskell certainly places you right in a comfy chair by the fireplace, doesn’t she. It is her exceptional gift of description that has prompted me to search out books about this era.
A thank you to you for the review and of course to Mrs. Gaskell on her 200th birthday!
September 30, 2010 at 12:14 am
Mel u
I have read two Gaskell works so far-Cranford and Sylvia’s Lovers-thanks for stopping by my blog on the Blog Hop
September 30, 2010 at 10:36 am
Alex
Hi Mel! Thank you for dropping by as well, a pleasure to have you!
September 30, 2010 at 12:16 am
Felicia
Cousin Phillis is definitely worth a read. Very enjoyable.
September 30, 2010 at 10:38 am
Alex
It also became a novella favortie. So much that one could talk about, but I didn’t want to bore you all to death. The detail I left out that still gets me thinking is the whole relationship between the Minister and Mr. Holdsworth.
September 30, 2010 at 12:24 am
Tony Grant
‘Now Phillis!’ said she, coming up to the sofa, ‘we ha’ done a’ we can for you, and th’ doctors has done a’ they can for you, and I think the Lord has done a’ he can for you, and more than you deserve, too, if you don’t do something for yourself.’
Reminds me of a theme in, The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. That was written in 1910.
Great analysis of the story. You got me thinking.
Tony
September 30, 2010 at 10:40 am
Alex
The Secret garden is at the top of my favorite-children’s-books-I-only-read-as-an-adult list 🙂 You mean when Mary is talking to Colin about his many illnesses?
September 30, 2010 at 4:44 am
JaneGS
>The unexpected intellectual vastness in such a Victorian heroine as Phillis (all freshness and innocence) is one of the first glimpses we have into how, with Cousin Phillis, Gaskell astutely crafted a gentle tragedy that does not follow a conventional Victorian pattern.
Yes! I was blown away by Phillis, though I thought I would have an apoplectic fit when she actually got brain fever from the loss of her lover. I was actually cheering when Betty scolded her out of bed. I have a feeling Gaskell probably delivered a message like this to her own daughters at some point 🙂
I really enjoyed reading your three reviews of Gaskell’s novellas–she really covered a lot of ground and they are good representations of her work.
September 30, 2010 at 11:07 am
Alex
Victorian illnesses always make me cringe! All the brain fevers, swoons and the insignificant coughs that 3 chapters later end in death. It was such a breath of fresh air that Phillis lived, you could almost bet your savings that she was too innocent to live. Cudoos to Mrs Gaskell for pulling that one of her hat!
September 30, 2010 at 6:03 am
Laurel Ann
LOL – Paul knows he cannot fall in love with Phillis because she is smarter than him and taller. Men have such egos!!! HA!
This sounds like a very interesting novella – one more to add to the TBR pile. Thanks for the thoughtful review, and for participating in the blog tour. Well done.
Cheers, Laurel Ann
September 30, 2010 at 11:17 am
Alex
I honestly think Gaskell put in the detail of Phillis’ hight so that readers really understand that a Paul + Phillis is not to be. If it wasn’t for that, many readers would still hope for something to happen after Holdsworth is gone, and that not where she wanted to go with the story.
September 30, 2010 at 7:34 am
AprilFool
I’m pretty sure I read this – but I can’t remember it! sigh . . .
September 30, 2010 at 11:17 am
Alex
🙂 maybe you saw the BBC adaptation?
October 1, 2010 at 4:03 am
AprilFool
No – I’d remember that. The reason I feel sure I’ve read it is it is in the same volume with Cranford, and I certainly read that. I doubt very much that I’d have skipped the rest of the book, especially when I enjoyed Cranford so much. Must be old age!
September 30, 2010 at 6:53 pm
Tony Grant
Alex, yes that’s right. Colin’s full recovery to become a healthy, vibrant, positive child from the week invalid, winging, bad tempered bit of work at the beginning, is a major theme in the book. The book is about self discovery and growth.
October 1, 2010 at 2:00 am
Susan
Loved your three reviews. I will be putting these on my TBR pile as well. My Gaskell pile is growing and growing! Thanks for being part of the tour.
Susan
October 2, 2010 at 1:15 am
stilettostorytime
Thanks for the three reviews! I currently have this short story collection checked out for re-reading once I finish “Sylvia’s Lovers”. Generally I am not a short story person but for Ms. Gaskell, I make an exception! Thanks for being such a great part of the tour!
Courtney
October 2, 2010 at 3:52 pm
RegencyRomantic
‘The unexpected intellectual vastness in such a Victorian heroine as Phillis (all freshness and innocence) is one of the first glimpses we have into how, with Cousin Phillis, Gaskell astutely crafted a gentle tragedy that does not follow a conventional Victorian pattern.’
This was the sentence that intrigued me… I’m sure in Gaskell’s hands, bucking the trend was done very skillfully and sensitively.
And how the rapidity of change, brought about by the Industrial Revolution, affects the personal lives of rural families, that’s always interesting to me. Another one added to the TBR pile.
Thanks Alex, for the engaging reviews of the 3 novellas. They have been an enjoyable part of this blog tour! =)
October 3, 2010 at 12:17 am
Cinthia
I read this novella a couple of years ago, when I found nothing else by Gaskell available in my country and it is among the few I have read that does not have a perfect happy ending.
I understand Gaskell had the intention to continue, even wrote a sketch on how it would go on, but never wrote it. Does anyone know where to read her plan on a sequel?