Sylvia's LoversElizabeth Gaskell's only historical novel, Sylvia's Lovers, is set in 1790 in the seaside town of Monkshaven (Whitby) where press-gangs wreak havoc by seizing young men for service in the Napoleonic wars. One of their victims is whaling harpooner, Charley Kinraid, whose charm and vivacity have captured the heart of Sylvia Robson. But Sylvia's devoted cousin, Philip Hepburn, hopes to marry her himself and, in order to win her, deliberately withholds crucial information - with devastating consequences. With its themes of suffering, unrequited love, and the clash between desire and duty, Sylvia's Lovers is one of the most powerfully moving of all Gaskell's novels, reputedly described by its author as 'the saddest story I ever wrote'. |
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... voices a direct challenge to the tyrannies of authoritarianism, as he tells Philip: '“Nation here! nation theere! I'm a man and yo're another, but nation's nowheere,”' (p. 42). His intervention into the progress of events by inciting ...
... voices a direct challenge to the tyrannies of authoritarianism, as he tells Philip: '“Nation here! nation theere! I'm a man and yo're another, but nation's nowheere,”' (p. 42). His intervention into the progress of events by inciting ...
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... voice as she speaks of her knowledge of male treachery: 'I'm speaking like a woman; like a woman as finds out she's been cheated by men as she trusted, and has no help for it' (p. 402). Hester becomes a partner in the business after all ...
... voice as she speaks of her knowledge of male treachery: 'I'm speaking like a woman; like a woman as finds out she's been cheated by men as she trusted, and has no help for it' (p. 402). Hester becomes a partner in the business after all ...
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... voice in the text (that is, the commentary which operates on a level 'above' the events of the story) calls attention to these apparently unbridgeable gaps between people by foregrounding the silences and misconceptions. Knowledge and ...
... voice in the text (that is, the commentary which operates on a level 'above' the events of the story) calls attention to these apparently unbridgeable gaps between people by foregrounding the silences and misconceptions. Knowledge and ...
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... voice, an exhortation which few could hear, for, pressing around this nucleus of cruel wrong, were women crying aloud, throwing up their arms in imprecation, showering down abuse as hearty and rapid as if they had been a Greek chorus ...
... voice, an exhortation which few could hear, for, pressing around this nucleus of cruel wrong, were women crying aloud, throwing up their arms in imprecation, showering down abuse as hearty and rapid as if they had been a Greek chorus ...
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... voices, that her husband was kidnapped for the service of the Government. She had need pause in the market-place, the outlet of which was crammed up. Then she gave tongue for the first time in such a fearful shriek, you could hardly ...
... voices, that her husband was kidnapped for the service of the Government. She had need pause in the market-place, the outlet of which was crammed up. Then she gave tongue for the first time in such a fearful shriek, you could hardly ...
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Common terms and phrases
Alice arms asked began Bell better brought called CHAPTER child comfort coming Corney Coulson Daniel dead deal door eyes face father feeling felt Foster friends Gaskell gave give gone half hand Haytersbank head hear heard heart Hepburn Hester hold hour husband it's Jeremiah John keep kind Kinraid knew lass leave light live look manner mind Molly Monkshaven morning mother never night niver once passed perhaps Philip poor present press-gang pretty question replied Robson Rose round sailors seemed seen side sitting speak spoke standing steps stood story strong sure Sylvia taken talk tell thee there's things thou thought told took town turned voice walk watch wife wish woman yo'r young