Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell Saint or Sinner?

Interpretations of “Ruth” by Elizabeth Gaskell Argument 1 Is Ruth truly repentant? Argument AArgument B “Ruth is repentant of her sexual transgression and her actions in the rest of the novel are motivated by her attempt to redeem herself from this sin.” “Ruth is never penitent about her sexual transgression and her actions in the rest of the novel are motivated by her attempt to eradicate the social stigma she has forced upon Leonard.”

Consider this… A popular feminist criticism directed at “Ruth”, is that Gaskell is inconsistent in her portrayal of Ruth as a sexual victim. It is suggested that much of Gaskell’s prose is rich with sensual description and that Ruth’s behaviour is often reflective of a sexually repressed character. There are many examples of Ruth’s emotional outbursts which can be seen to support this claim. Whilst Gaskell could not at the time openly discuss sexual behaviour, much of her description of these outburst of Ruth’s are full of passionate language. For example, while alone in her old home with Billingham (a situation which in itself would have been inappropriate at the time), Ruth “threw herself down by the sofa, hiding her face in her hands, whilst her frame quivered with her repressed sobs.” Such passionate displays may well hint to a contemporary reader that Ruth is indeed a sensual and sexual woman.

Argument 2 Why does Gaskell kill off Ruth? Argument AArgument B “Gaskell kills Ruth at the end of the novel to reinforce how this is the only possible fate for a fallen woman.” “Gaskell kills Ruth at the end of the novel to suggest that Ruth is a Christ-like figure who sacrifices herself for others.”

Realism Versus Romanticism Gaskell’s writing was known for being very realistic in terms of how she presented social issues. Her novels “North and South” and “Mary Barton” are good examples of her realistic presentation of the working class and their struggles. However, in “Ruth”, she strays from this theme to focus on society’s attitudes towards the fallen woman.

The novel can be classed as a Victorian Romance, however, Gaskell does not romanticise the fate of Ruth or Leonard. It can be argued that she presents this situation in a realistic way, yet Gaskell is able to generate the more romantic characteristics of symbolism and imagery in the novel, which can often be in contrast to the more realistic setting or situation. This is particularly achieved through the use of dreams and illness. TASK: Look at the use of dreams and illness in the novel. How do these add to the writer’s presentation of the character of Ruth?