"Round the Sofa" by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell is a collection of stories from the 1800s that examines how people related to each other in society. The story starts with a young woman going to Edinburgh to get medical help, and it looks at home life, social rules, and how different social classes interact. The story introduces her daily life and the people around her, especially her friendship with Mrs. Dawson, a kind woman who hosts a gathering every Monday. The main character is trying to make sense of her life in Edinburgh, and she feels lonely being away from her family and stuck in her strict routine in a basic room. There are other characters too, like Miss Mackenzie and Mrs. Dawson, who becomes her friend. The difference between where she lives and the lively gatherings at Mrs. Dawson's hints at bigger ideas about class differences and the importance of friendship, showing readers that the story will explore the roles of women and how friendship can help overcome loneliness.
Round the Sofa
By Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
In 19th-century Edinburgh, a young woman's search for health unexpectedly leads her to uncover the profound connections that blossom amid society's intricate web.
Summary
About the AuthorElizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, often referred to as Mrs Gaskell, was an English novelist, biographer, and short story writer. Her novels offer a detailed portrait of the lives of many strata of Victorian society, including the very poor. Her first novel, Mary Barton, was published in 1848. Gaskell's The Life of Charlotte Brontë, published in 1857, was the first biography of Charlotte Brontë. In this biography, she wrote only of the moral, sophisticated things in Brontë's life; the rest she omitted, deciding certain, more salacious aspects were better kept hidden. Among Gaskell's best known novels are Cranford (1851–1853), North and South (1854–1855), and Wives and Daughters (1864–1866), all of which were adapted for television by the BBC.
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, often referred to as Mrs Gaskell, was an English novelist, biographer, and short story writer. Her novels offer a detailed portrait of the lives of many strata of Victorian society, including the very poor. Her first novel, Mary Barton, was published in 1848. Gaskell's The Life of Charlotte Brontë, published in 1857, was the first biography of Charlotte Brontë. In this biography, she wrote only of the moral, sophisticated things in Brontë's life; the rest she omitted, deciding certain, more salacious aspects were better kept hidden. Among Gaskell's best known novels are Cranford (1851–1853), North and South (1854–1855), and Wives and Daughters (1864–1866), all of which were adapted for television by the BBC.
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