The Angel is out of the House: The Representation of Victorian Gender Norms in Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South

During the Victorian era female’s roles were defined more sharply than at any stage of the history in England. The social sphere of the time was separated based on the innate characteristics of both women and men. As a result, women were supposed to live in heavily restrictive lives in which their whole life was centered on their domestic works, husband and children. In this period, terms such as ‘’ the Angel in the house ‘’ and ‘’the fallen women’’, along with ideologies behind them were enacting a substantial role. Similar attitudes were not solely reflected in life, but also passed on to the literature of the time. Victorian women writers, including Elizabeth Gaskell, began their professions by publishing a work of fiction. She frequently wrapped her books as critiques of the contemporary temperament. Therefore, in this study, notions of ‘’Female visitors’’ and ‘’Marriage of classes’’ are borrowed from the works of D. W. Elliot to shed light on the gender norms in Gaskell’s novel North and South

کلیدواژه ها:

Angel in the house ، Angel empowered ، female visitor ، Marriage of classes ، Gaskell ، Eliott