100 Elizabeth Gaskell’s Quotes That Have Lived On Through Ages
The Athenaeum beautifully describes Elizabeth Gaskell as "If not the most popular, the most powerful and finished female novelist of an epoch singularly rich in female novelists". Gaskell was an accomplished short story author and English novelist of the Victorian era. Motherhood and family obligations kept her busy throughout her life. However, she was deeply saddened by her only son's death. The incident inspired her to write 'Mary Barton', her first novel in 1848. The novel attracted immense popularity and critical attention from renowned writers like Thomas Carlyle and Charles Dickens. Elizabeth Gaskell is best known for "The life of Charlotte Bronte" (1857), a biography that was written with dedication and admiration. It expressed Gaskell's impressive narrative skills and the way she penned down firsthand facts in great details. Dickens invited her to write in his personal magazine 'Household Words'. Thereafter, she established herself as a renowned writer with 'Cranford' in 1853. Her notable works include 'North and South' (1854), 'Sylvia's Lover' (1863) and the 'Cranford Chronicles' (1881). Her novels magnificently portrayed the lives of individuals from different social strata, mainly the poor. Elizabeth Gaskell also focused on literature lovers and social historians and gave a detailed description of their ideologies. Unfortunately, her life's longest novel 'Wives and Daughters' was left incomplete with her death. Elizabeth Gaskell’s words have lived on through ages. We have curated some of her famous quotes from her writings and life. Here are some of her wise quotes to show why her words have lived through ages.
Sometimes one likes foolish people for their folly, better than wise people for their wisdom.
How easy it is to judge rightly after one sees what evil comes from judging wrongly.
I know you despise me; allow me to say, it is because you don't understand me.
Margaret was not a ready lover, but where she loved she loved passionately, and with no small degree of jealousy.
Oh, Mr. Thornton, I am not good enough!' 'Not good enough! Don't mock my own deep feeling of unworthiness.
There is nothing like wounded affection for giving poignancy to anger.
A wise parent humors the desire for independent action, so as to become the friend and advisor when his absolute rule shall cease.
He shrank from hearing Margaret's very name mentioned; he, while he blamed her--while he was jealous of her--while he renounced her--he loved her sorely, in spite of himself.
He shook hands with Margaret. He knew it was the first time their hands had met, though she was perfectly unconscious of the fact.
I'll not listen to reason... reason always means what someone else has got to say.
But the future must be met, however stern and iron it be.
But the cloud never comes in that quarter of the horizon from which we watch for it.
I wanted to see the place where Margaret grew to what she is, even at the worst time of all, when I had no hope of ever calling her mine...
I dare not hope. I never was fainthearted before; but I cannot believe such a creature cares for me.
I won't say she was silly, but I think one of us was silly, and it wasn't me!
Thinking has, many a time, made me sad, darling; but doing never did in all my life....My precept is, do something, my sister, do good if you can; but at any rate, do something.
Those who are happy and successful themselves are too apt to make light of the misfortunes of others.
Loyalty and obedience to wisdom and justice are fine; but it is still finer to defy arbitrary power, unjustly and cruelly used--not on behalf of ourselves, but on behalf of others more helpless.
Take care. -If you do not speak- I shall claim you as my own in some presumptuous way. -Send me away at once, if I must go; -Margaret!-
He loved her, and would love her; and defy her, and this miserable bodily pain.
Come! Poor little heart! Be cheery and brave. We'll be a great deal to one another, if we are thrown off and left desolate.
Out of the way! We are in the throes of an exceptional emergency! This is no occassion for sport- there is lace at stake!" (Ms. Pole)
As she realized what might have been, she grew to be thankful for what was.
A girl in love will do a good deal.
The French girls would tell you, to believe that you were pretty would make you so.
He is my first olive: let me make a face while I swallow it.
No one loves me, - no one cares for me, but you, mother.
Oh, I can't describe my home. It is home, and I can't put its charm into words
Oh, my Margaret--my Margaret! no one can tell what you are to me! Dead--cold as you lie there you are the only woman I ever loved! Oh, Margaret--Margaret!
Wearily she went to bed, wearily she arose in four or five hours' time. But with the morning came hope, and a brighter view of things.
