Ruth

Ruth
By Elizabeth Gaskell
Oxford University Press, 1985. 458 pgs. Fiction

Young, naive and orphaned, Ruth Hilton is easily led astray by wealthy, handsome Mr. Bellingham. When he abandons her in Wales, pregnant with his child, a kindly elderly brother and sister, Mr. and Miss Benson, take her home to England. They convince her to pose as a widow, hoping to spare her and her child the shame and trials that would be inflicted on an unwed mother and her illegitimate child. As much as Ruth tries to put her past behind her, she is still haunted by it and eventually must come to face it and deal with the consequences.

First published in 1853, Ruth is considered an Oxford World Classic. The book has likable characters, a few plot twists, and many themes to consider, including sin and redemption. Although the reader may feel distanced from Ruth, not quite pulled into her character as with some other heroines, the book still invokes sympathy and thoughtfulness. It is tender and sad and yet satisfying at the same time.

AE