The book is a social novel, showing the Victorian perspective about sin and illegitimacy. Mr Farquhar is a business partner of Mr Bradshaw, who later marries his daughter, Jemima Bradshaw. She is in awe of Ruth but later defends her as a friend. Mr Bradshaw is a local businessman who later on keeps Ruth as a governess in his house.ĭaughter of Mr Bradshaw. Miss Benson is the kind sister of Mr Benson. Mr Benson is a disabled and kind Minister who gives shelter to Ruth and later to her son. Leonard is the illegitimate son of Ruth and Henry Bellingham. Henry Bellingham is an aristocratic rake figure.

She later changes her name to Mrs Denbigh. She is considered to be a fallen woman according to society. “…I have never seen mountains before, and they fill me and oppress me so much that I could not sleep I must keep awake this first night, and see that they don’t fall on the earth and overwhelm it.” Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell characters “Her thoughts are full of other things just now and people have such different ways of showing feeling: some by silence, some by words.” “Similarity of opinion is not always-I think not often-needed for fullness and perfection of love.” Mr Bradshaw feels guilty and responsible for the death of Ruth. By that time Mr Bradshaw has changed in his mentality and at the end of the novel, he takes Leonard to Mr Benson and forms a friendship with him. Ruth eventually falls sick and dies from sickness. Mr Bradshaw learns that Ruth is a fallen woman and has an illegitimate child, banishes her from his home. Later on, Mr Bellingham meets Ruth coincidentally and proposes for marriage but she rejects him. She now works at Mr Bradshaw’s house as a governess. Frustrated Ruth tries to commit suicide but Mr Benson saves her. She orders Bellingham to leave Ruth with some money right there. Ruth goes to London for a holiday with Mr Bellingham and his mother spots them out. Mrs Mason sacks Ruth from her sweet shop for the sake of her shop’s reputation. Ruth is sent to a ball party to repair dresses and there she meets Henry Bellingham, who is instantly attracted to her. Ruth Hilton is a young orphan girl who works at Mrs Mason’s reputed sweetshop.

The story tells about a fallen woman of the Victorian era.

Ruth by elizabeth gaskell