Young orphan Ruth Hilton catches the eye of a dishonest and unscrupulous man, and when Ruth falls on hard times she is forced to turn to him for comfort and support. When he cruelly deserts her, Ruth must begin a new life, but she carries with her the secret and shame of an illegitimate child which will lead to her ruin if discovered. A controversial topic during the Victorian era, in 'Ruth' Elizabeth Gaskell dealt sensitively and sympathetically with the topic of illegitimacy and sin - confronting the harsh views and treatment of a 'fallen woman' at the time. With similar themes, fans of Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter' and Thomas Hardy's 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles' will enjoy this popular classic by Elizabeth Gaskell

Mode of access: World Wide Web