Example research essay topic: Rocking Chair Victorian England - 1,046 words

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Mary Barton Elizabeth Gaskell's novel Mary Barton can hardly be referred to as the exceptional literary masterpiece. Nevertheless, from a certain point of view, the value of her novel is higher than the value of other books, written about the same time by different authors. This is because, in her novel, Gaskell creates a very realistic image of Victorian society, often at the expense of over complicating the plot. In order for Mary Barton to be read as rather documentary than a fiction, author includes a detailed description of peoples clothing, food and different household items, so that reader gets a three dimensional image of settings, where action takes place. Chapter Manchester Tea Party is very representative, in this respect.

In it, we get to read about many food items that are authentically Victorian. For example, author spends a great amount of time, describing such seemingly banal product as ham: Mary performed her business, returning home with a little bottle of rum, and the eggs in one hand, while her other was filled with some excellent red-and-white, smoke-flavored, Cumberland ham, wrapped up in paper (Gaskell, Chapter 2). This quotation illustrates that Gaskell was aware of such method of literary realism as authentication. However, it probably seemed for the author that she needed to add more realism, while describing Marys manipulations with ham. On very same page she uses another trick to convince reader that events described in the book were absolutely real. Gaskell strives to win a psychological attachment to Mary, on the part of reader, because this character described in such way that she can easily be visualized.

We think of Mary as very real person, because there is nothing unreal about her everyday routine: She did not think of comparing; but for all that she felt the delicious glow of the fire, the bright light that reveled in every corner of the room, the savory smells, the comfortable sounds of a boiling kettle, and the hissing, frizzling ham (Gaskell, Chapter 2). Gaskell also uses a situation approach, to add an additional realism to her novel. She describes characters in their relation to the surrounding reality: And now all preparations being made, the party sat down; Mrs. Wilson in the post of honor, the rocking-chair, on the right-hand side of the fire, nursing her baby, while its father, in an opposite arm-chair, tried vainly to quiet the other with bread soaked in milk (Gaskell, Chapter 2).

This allows us to envision this tea party, as if we were present there ourselves. There is no doubt that Gaskell wanted her characters to be able to integrate organically into every new setting. It might appear that novels characters are described under the odd sets of circumstances, while in fact; these circumstances are carefully selected by author. It is not by a pure accident that Mrs. Wilson is described as sitting in rocking-chair on the right-hand side of the fireplace. This scene corresponds to the rules of etiquette, which existed in Victorian England.

Thus, Gaskell achieves an extraordinary realism in her portrayal of Victorian times, because she was able to adapt historical authenticity to readers own view of Victorian era. When reading about people, dressed in 19 th century clothing, we usually do not relate to them psychologically, for as long as they remain static. However, once Gaskell sets her characters in motion, the reality of Victorian England becomes self-evident. Many critics suggest that it was not Gaskell's original intention to make her novel extra realistic. This is probably the case, because the realism is usually needed to emphasize characters psychological profoundness. Yet, it is quite obvious that Mary Barton and other characters act in socially expected manner.

Thus, psychological factor is being rather neglected by Gaskell. It appears that she wrote Mary Barton out of idleness. This novel was specifically written for women, this is why author pays such a great attention to details, while depriving novels characters of psychological depth. Gaskell was trying a little too hard to make her characters believable; this is why there are certain aspects of Mary Burton that we cannot refer to as realistic. For example, in the same chapter, Gaskell describes members of Marys family as being very hungry, before the tea party begins. This is why they talk about the piece of ham with such passion.

Yet, at the same time, Jem is shown to be recalling his childhood, while waiting for dinner. Gaskell describes him as being withdrawn, at the time when ham is sizzling in the frying pan: Jem stood awkwardly leaning against the dresser, replying rather gruffly to his aunt's speeches (Gaskell, Chapter 2). As practice shows, a hungry man rarely meditates on abstract matters; therefore, we cannot accept this passage as being absolutely sensible. We can say that the real reason why certain sections in Chapter 2 sound unrealistic is because Gaskell was striving to realistically portray the life of people that belonged to lower classes, while being a daughter of English aristocrats. Therefore, unrealistic moments in her novel come as a result of logical fallacies, on her part. Here is another example.

Gaskell describes Alison Wilson as woman who was having two jobs, which allowed her to barely meet the ends. This, of course, implies that Alison must have been getting very tired. Yet, author portrays her as person who takes pleasure in lengthy walks, every time opportunity presented itself: In addition to her invaluable qualities as a sick nurse and her worldly occupations as a washerwoman, she added a considerable knowledge of hedge and field simples; and on fine days, when no more profitable occupation offered itself, she used to ramble off into the lanes and meadows as far as her legs could carry her (Gaskell, Chapter 2). This, of course, does not seem to be very realistic for anyone who used to work hard.

There are other logical inconsistencies can be found throughout the book as well. This is one of the reasons why Mary Barton failed to serve socialist cause in a way it was originally intended by the author. Despite its apparent realism, Gaskell's novel lacks reasonableness, which prevents us from comparing Mary Barton to novels of Charles Dickens, for example, even though that both authors exploited the same themes.

Research essay sample on Rocking Chair Victorian England