The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

For discussing the first chapter in the book. If you have not finished this chapter be aware that spoilers may be posted here. Please try not to dicuss anything that happens in later chapters.

If you really want to refer to something later in the book pleases use the (view spoiler)[ code. (hide spoiler)]

In this first chapter we are already acquainted with the humor in this novel by seeing a cow in flannels. Definitely made me smile. There is an implication that men are not needed in Cranford, i.e. "man is so in the way in the house." There seems to be an aura of cooperation among the ladies. Even though everybody knows everything about everybody, the ladies are typically kind to each other.

The ladies domains are a bit different too. Where ladies would be limited to the running of the house and the fashion of the day, these ladies pay no attention to fashion. They accept who they are and feel their peers know them so they don't have to dress for them. If they are somewhere else, they feel they don't have to dress for that area as those people don't know them. I love the fact that it makes the ladies seem as if they have a comfort level in who they are.

There are definitely informal leaders among the ladies, and rigid societal norms. They consider themselves all aristocrats even though most of them are either poor or of modest means. Again I see this as a comfort level in who they are.

Captain Brown, the only man that seems accepted by the ladies, gets accepted almost by default. He ignores their slights, and he is valued by the ladies for his good sense and his ability to overcome domestic dilemmas (as in the clearing of a flue). He is as unaware of his acceptance as he was of his nonacceptance.

This is a first time read for me of this book, and so far I'm finding it very enjoyable.

I really enjoyed the introduction to this eccentric community of predominately all women. The humor is set up early within the book by the very strangeness of this community of which they established for themselves. I loved the opening line in which it states that Cranford is in possession of Amazons, and the mention of the way in which the men who had come to live there all seemed to disappear through one means of another.

I think this book has a very different tone than prior Gaskell novels I have read, while I think most of her works does include a bit of satirical humor, Cranford seems a bit lighter than her other novels, and perhaps more playful in a way, while still addressing societal issues by setting up this sort of counter culture to the norm.

A collection of ladies who in some ways behave in a very "unlady" like manner. They discuss politics, and dress out of fashion, and are disinterested in men.

As mentioned above, despite what the opinions of the rest of the world might be of them (I love the little remarks of "would such a thing be seen in London") they are quite content with themselves and seem to define their own identity outside of the status quo.

I also enjoy the way in which their poverty is something which simple is not addressed among themselves, though everyone is aware of it, they have established their own social status among themselves that goes against the understood and more rigid class lines which existed at the time. When Mrs. Foster holds a tea party they all simply ignore the fact that they all know that she herself had to prepare the tea and cakes, and assist her maid to bring to the tray.

Glad you are enjoying the book! I don't know that I will get it reread enough to be a good participant here, but it is one of the few books I have read multiple times (usually for a discussion like this). I also enjoyed one of the videos, BBC I suspect. The one I watched integrated another short story (don't remember which one) into the series. The depiction on the DVD of the cow in flannels is memorable, delightful, humorous, ....

I am not rereading at this time, but I am really already enjoying the summarizations and comments!

As for what Lily was saying about the miniseries (starring Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins) being made up of different stories, I think I will post about that on the background thread, in case anyone is interested.

Denise wrote: "...As for what Lily was saying about the miniseries (starring Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins) being made up of different stories, I think I will post about that on the background thread, in case anyone is interested."

Denise -- thanks for knowing or doing the background research! Cranford is certainly a favorite of mine, whether story or video. The humanity is so sweet with a humorous edge and some wedges of sadness.

You're welcome, Lily! I had 'done the research' a long time ago, when I first watched the miniseries and noticed that in the credits it mentioned multiple Gaskell works, but didn't specify which.

I believe that in this novel, as well as her essay The Last Generation in England, Gaskell was attempting to capture a moment in time. With the big changes going on at the time - the Industrial Revolution, the railroad, etc. - some of the traditional ways of life were changing and disappearing. Gaskell wanted to be sure to record those perhaps simpler ways before they completely vanished and people forgot about them. I think we all have nostalgia for the 'good old days' of our youth, and Gaskell wanted them to be remembered. That may be why this work seems to have a lighter touch than other of her works.

This read has been my first introduction to Gaskell and I am very much enjoying her work, particularly as I've come to it with absolutely no idea of what to expect either in terms of plot or style (which is rare these days when i choose most of my reading either from reviews or from recommendations.) I also love the description of a society which is quite at ease with itself, and in which there is such kindness and mutual support and they each ignore each others poverty. The descriptions of the Browns give a poignant picture of a family making do with clearly old and outdated clothing and belongings, yet they are instantly accepted for the good people that they clearly are (despite their questionable taste in reading material!)

After the drudgery of Mary Barton, I am really looking forward to this more lighthearted fare. Like Silver, I love the asides to the reader... in fact, what I enjoy most about Gaskell is her narrative style, even in Mary Barton, where she speaks confidentially to us, the reader, as if we were old friends.

Deborah wrote: There is an implication that men are not needed in Cranford...

The 'men are not needed' aspect of Cranford was due to the shortage of men at the end of the Napoleonic and Peninsula wars, rather like the situation which existed after WWI, when a great many women were left widowed or resigned to spinsterhood. Captain Brown is presumably too old to be recruited or had been 'invalided out' of the army but he commands respect because of his former rank.

In addition to being conscripted into the British army during this period, men between the ages of 18-55 were 'press ganged' into the Navy and teams of men roamed the countryside seizing any men between these ages, Impressment was based on the legal power of the King to call men to military service, as well as to recruit volunteers (who were paid a bounty upon joining, unlike pressed men). It flourished in port towns everywhere, as "recruiters" searched through waterfront boardinghouses, brothels, and taverns. They often chose vagabonds or prisoners. Impressed men were forced into service through violence or coercion and were held to their duty by brutal discipline. The Royal Navy impressed many British merchant sailors, as well as some sailors from other nations.

One of the largest impressment operations occurred in the spring of 1757 in New York City, then still under British colonial rule. Three thousand British soldiers cordoned off the city, and plucked clean the taverns and other sailors' gathering places. "All kinds of tradesmen and Negroes" were hauled in, nearly eight hundred in all. Four hundred of these were "retained in the service."

The Royal Navy also used impressment extensively in British North America (Canada) from 1775 to 1815. Its press gangs sparked resistance, riots, and political turmoil in seaports such as Halifax, St John's, and Quebec City. Nevertheless, the Royal Navy extended the reach of its press gangs into coastal areas of British North America by the early nineteenth century. After the defeat of Napoleon in 1814, England ended the practice, and it has never been resumed.

Lily wrote: "Denise wrote: "With the big changes going on at the time - the Industrial Revolution, the railroad, etc. - some of the traditional ways of life were changing and disappearing. Gaskell wanted to be sure to record those perhaps simpler ways before they completely vanished and people forgot about them."

While all of this is certainly true, I have to say I'm amazed by the fact that Gaskell's prose sounds so little 'dusty' or flowery. Her writing is both fresh and witty, and whilst reading Cranford I always have to remind myself that the novel hasn't been written in the 20th century.

Jo wrote: "Lily wrote: "Denise wrote: "With the big changes going on at the time - the Industrial Revolution, the railroad, etc. - some of the traditional ways of life were changing and disappearing. Gaskell ..."

Jo -- I'm confused. Why the "Lily wrote:" attribution part to the reply? Perhaps because of my use of the word "sweet"? Even as I wrote "sweet", I wondered if I should have said "but not saccharine," but that seemed too cliche.

I quite agree with you that the prose here "sounds so little 'dusty' or flowery"! It is almost like the ladies, plain dressed, decent, reserved, but truth telling.

Lily wrote: It is almost like the ladies, plain dressed, decent, reserved, but truth telling.

I like that:) And very times-gone-by English.

Lily, now I'm a bit confused, too ... I just hit the reply button, then copied and pasted those sentences of Denise's posting that I was going to refer to. Sorry - don't know what happened.

Jo wrote: "Lily, now I'm a bit confused, too ... I just hit the reply button, then copied and pasted those sentences of Denise's posting that I was going to refer to. Sorry - don't know what happened."

OK. LOL! Life is sometimes indiscernible. Thx for responding, Jo.

MadgeUK wrote: "Deborah wrote: There is an implication that men are not needed in Cranford...

The 'men are not needed' aspect of Cranford was due to the shortage of men at the end of the Napoleonic and Peninsula ..."

Madge thanks for all this wonderful info. I was also referring to the fact that the ladies seem to make men feel unwelcome. I believe in Chapter 1 it indicated that Captain Brown ended up being accepted because he was clueless when the ladies made remarks against him. That made me think that while the lack of men started as the shortage, the ladies had developed a society in which they were really happy without men and endeavored to keep it that way.

Yes, this always seems to have happened when men were away for long periods. It is inevitable and it shows that even in times when women were supposed to be weak and dependent, they were nevertheless capable of rising to the challenge of being without their menfolk, and relishing it too.

In our time we are seeing more and more professional women choosing not to marry and also choosing to have children via IVF etc. The Victorian ideal of 'the angel on the hearth' was always an unrealistic one and there are countless stories throughout the ages of women enjoying their independence, like Penelope in The Iliad and The Wife of Bath

I´m joining pretty late, but I´m a fast reader so I hope I´ll keep up.

This is the 1st time I read Gaskell, it is really difficult to find a copy of this author in Mexico. I was a little confused with her type of writting, although I couldnt pinpoint why. Maybe is that 1st person which I dont even know her name. Or maybe that sort of humour blended with irony. Well, I will found out later I guess ;)

Karel wrote: "I´m joining pretty late, but I´m a fast reader so I hope I´ll keep up.

This is the 1st time I read Gaskell, it is really difficult to find a copy of this author in Mexico. I was a little confused ..."

Karel you definitely are a fast reader. You'll get to know who the narrator is a bit later.