North and South (Gaskell novel)

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An 1855 novel by Elizabeth Gaskell.

After Richard Hale, a minister, leaves the Church of England, the Hale family moves from the genteel South of England to the industrial North. The story deals with clashes between the cultures of North and South, the workers and their masters, and between protagonist Margaret Hale and the wealthy local factory owner John Thornton.

The book has twice been adapted for television, most recently in 2004, starring Daniela Denby-Ashe and Richard Armitage. Although it was poorly publicised, it was a surprise smash hit with BBC viewers, who ended up crashing the BBC website with massive amounts of rave comments.

Not to be confused with the John Jakes trilogy of novels and miniseries of the same name (which starred Patrick Swayze), set in and around the era of the American Civil War. Or the Strategy Game/Action Game video game.

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North and South contains examples of:

• Anguished Declaration of Love: The proposal scene definitely fits this.
• Belligerent Sexual Tension
• Big Secret: Margaret is seen at a train station at night with a man. She cannot explain that he was her brother, as he is wanted for treason and was not supposed to be in the country.
• I Love You Because I Can't Control You
• Incurable Cough of Death: Bessy.
• Last-Minute Hookup
• Mama Bear: Mrs Thornton. Woe betide anyone who insults her son
• May-December Romance: Mr Bell, a contemporary of Margaret's father, harbours romantic feelings for Margaret
• Mr. Fanservice: Richard Armitage as Thornton. Swoon.
• Oop North: Milton (based on Manchester).
• Opposites Attract: Margaret and Thornton.
• Pet the Dog / Took a Level In Kindness: Thornton becomes a lot less indifferent to his workers' plight after seeing that they actually do have lots of starving children at home.
• Right Behind Me: When Margaret voices her disappointment in Thornton just as he's walking into the room behind her.
• Romantic False Lead: Henry Lennox for Margaret, and Sally Latimer for Thornton. Henry Lennox wanders into Romantic Runner-Up territory though, he has a bit more character, and is led up the garden path a little.
• Spirited Young Lady: Margaret.
• Stranger in a Familiar Land: Once she returns home to stay with family, Margaret becomes defensive of the North.
• Train Station Goodbye: Mr Thornton misinterprets Margaret's clandestine goodbye to her brother as this.