Gaskell exposes the struggle of nineteenth-century females against the prejudices and norms of patriarchal societies. Gaskell enhances Margaret’s strong, independent side through contrasting her with her weak father. An example of this is when he tells her about the move, where he is described as “nervous and confused” and lacking “the courage to utter a word” without Margaret’s encouragement (35). Gaskell’s method of “feminising” the natural authority of “man of the house”, Mr Hale, not only is her way of enhancing Margaret’s abilities, but also a way to show an alternative to the authoritarian man and redefine the Victorian gender norms.
Thornton and Higgins, while not denying their masculinity, show they have emotion, a trait that was never
Thornton and Higgins, while not denying their masculinity, show they have emotion, a trait that was never