‘North and South’ by Elizabeth Gaskell uses the Industrial Revolution as a catalyst to delve into questions about female agency and the themes of female resistance. Indeed, class conflict and gender dynamics are intertwined throughout the novel in order to reveal how women negotiate the oppressive structures of their society. Gaskell reveals, through the experiences of the key female characters – Margaret Hale, Bessy Higgins, and Mrs. Thornton – that, quite often, emancipation comes through conflict, where women can assert their identities and resist patriarchal norms. Gaskell constructs a nuanced portrait of female agency, positioning conflict not as an obstacle to empowerment but rather as a transformative catalyst.
This post explores female agency through the character of Margaret Hale. She is portrayed as a sheltered and naive female, having been thrust into the harsh realities of the industrial Milton, which makes her assertive and resistant. Her agency comes forth in her confrontation with John Thornton. Her resistance against Thornton’s expectations says a lot about her beliefs. Her remark, “I am not a factory girl. I do not consider myself to be one” (Gaskell 147), portrays her strong sense of self and suggests that agency can take a confrontational form. Gaskell leads her readers to understand that growth must be nurtured with friction. The energy of resistance and change is dynamic. Emancipation, in Gaskell’s North and South, is a process and not an event.
Margaret’s involvement with labour issues forms an important extension of female agency into the public sphere. Gaskell portrays Margaret as a moral agent whose compassion motivates her to confront injustice. Margaret tells Thornton, “I cannot help thinking how much good might be done by you, if you would only see it” (Gaskell 232). The conflict that follows changes her role from a mere observer to an active participant in social reform. Through her relationship with the struggles of the working class, her character demonstrates that wider social awareness and activism can be born out of individual experiences.
Bessy Higgins constitutes yet another complementary view of female agency. Her role demonstrates the intersection of gender with class, relating particular experiences attributed to women in the industrial workforce. Her grievances about the inhumane conditions in the mills catalyse Margaret’s awakening to social issues, illustrating Bessy’s role in raising awareness and prompting resistance against exploitation. Bessy’s interactions with Margaret demonstrate the possibility of cross-class alliances in the struggle for agency. Their friendship reveals that resistance to oppression usually emanates from shared experiences. Bessy nudges Margaret to be interested in the workers’ plight, which indeed is an act of engendering agency in another person. This bond that finally grows between Margaret and Bessy bridges class divides, demonstrating that true empowerment is through solidarity and mutual support.
Mrs. Thornton, however, points to another dimension of female agency. Being the matriarch of the Thornton family, she is influential both in the domestic and economic spheres. Her character contradicts the majority of conventional ideas about what it means to be feminine. Her stubborn nature and involvement in the family business suggest she has cast aside many of the societal limitations imposed on a woman’s role. She is strict and ensures her son, John, is aware of his position and duties. “She had a will of her own, and a very strong one” (Gaskell 60), showing her capabilities of leading not only her family but also a good deal of the surrounding community.
The fact that Mrs. Thornton is a businesswoman shows how female agency can work even in the most patriarchal organisations. Gaskell dramatises her as an executive character who uses her motherly authority to enact several changes within the family and society at large. The conflicts that arise between Mrs. Thornton and her son highlight the numerous impediments to female agency. Mrs. Thornton might be the embodiment of maternal authority, but it is her relationships with men that reveal the limits placed upon her by gendered prescription. Her resistance to her son’s wishes illustrates that women can indeed assert authority within traditional patriarchal structures through conflict.
Margaret’s life in Milton forces her to come to terms with workaday reality and dents her belief in class superiority. As she witnesses the struggles of Bessy and other workers, she realises that class and gender oppression are tied up with each other. In intervening for the workers, Margaret shows that personal agency can create collective transformation. Gaskell writes, “If you will not be a coward, you will help us” (Gaskell 246), reinforcing the notion that individual agency can be part of greater movements toward justice. Gaskell here reverses the assumption of class difference as a barrier to female solidarity. Instead, it is a shared experience of oppression that may generate mutual compassion and thereby facilitate cooperation. By joining characters from disparate social backgrounds, Gaskell foregrounds women’s ability to mutually strive for communal ends with the added potency of collective power.
Margaret’s journey from a sheltered existence to one of activism is a perfect example of how conflict at the personal level can be a metamorphosing process. Coming face to face with her set of beliefs and biases allows her to be more effective in bringing change. The transformation underlines the interconnection of personal agency with political, whereby the growth of individuals contributes to the collective empowerment of people.
The tumultuous relationship between Margaret and Thornton forces them to consider their convictions about class and gender. Their ultimate union reveals that, through disagreement, growth and empathy may surface, and that authenticity comes from working through human friction. Gaskell illustrates that conflict is not only divisive but also potentially binding. It creates understanding and collective purposes. In North and South, emancipation is a process, not an event, and requires courage, collaboration, and the willingness to go up against entrenched social standards.
Notes & references
Gaskell, Elizabeth. North and South. Penguin Classics, 1995.