Redfern, K: Transcending Gender

During the Victorian Era, women were rarely treated with respect or equality within the patriarchal society. They were never given the chance to become equal members of society. For the most part, Victorian fiction portrayed woman as weak, ineffective and subservient to their male counterparts. However, one writer stands out,among the rest. Elizabeth Gaskell uses her female characters as advocates for societal change. In three of her books, Ms. Gaskell enables these women to transcend both gender and class barriers; Mary Barton, Ruth Hilton, and Margaret Hale defy gender norms with their courage, strength, independence and intellect. Seen once as subservient and meek, these three women take us through a journey filled with doubt, uncertainty and insecurity that ends with a magical transformation of the very basics of femininity. Drastic shifts in societal boundaries arise as these women defy the norm.