Elizabeth Gaskell : the early years
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Elizabeth Gaskell : the early years
Manchester university press, 2009
First paperback ed
Available at 3 libraries
Note
Includes bibliographical references and index
"First published 1997 by Manchester university press" -- t.p. verso
Description and Table of Contents
Description
This absorbing study of Elizabeth Gaskell's early life up to her marriage in 1832 is based almost entirely on new evidence. Also, using parish records, marriage settlements, property transfers, wills, record office documents, letters, journals and private papers, John Chapple has recreated the background of one of the nineteenth century's greatest novelists.
The widely differing lives of her father, brother and the aunt who raised her are illuminated at length by these original documents. Chapple has discovered a number of letters written by close relations that shed new light on her upbringing, and he analyses three hitherto unknown travel journals buy her Knutsford cousins which prove that she grew up in a literary milieu.
Other biographical accounts of Elizabeth Gaskell's life have been compared and, where necessary, corrected, but Chapple's main emphasis lies with the wealth of new material that he has discovered. This ensures that The early years will provide a secure basis for future criticism of her creative works, which so often rely on biographical details -- .
Table of Contents
List of illustrations Acknowledgements Note on source Abbreviations and short titles Introductions 1 Berwick and the Stevensons 2 Dissent and politics in Manchester in the late 1790's 3 Vacillations of a father 4 Authorship in Edinburgh and London 5 Mother and 'More than mother' 6 Refuge in Knutsford 7 Upper and Lower Knutsford 8 Friends and relations 9 Widening circles 10 Happy families 11 Et in Arcadia ego 12 Father and brother 13 the educations of an author 14 Home and abroad 15 Advice to a young lady 16 Social life in Wales 17 Authors and would-be authors 18 A chapter of endings 19 Newcastle and elsewhere 20 Northern values 21 Grave and gay 22 Destiny 23 Engagement 24 Things dying: things reborn Appendices Bibliographical appendix Index
by "Nielsen BookData"