Elizabeth Gaskell's Mary Barton and the Industrial Novel

The economy of England during the 18th century was one that needed rebuilding after many years of war with other countries. A breakthrough of new technology and ideas boosted the economy, creating a time known commonly as the Industrial Revolution. Specifically, there was one invention that defined the Industrial Revolution. The steam engine, a device powered by coal used to run machines at an efficient rate, was developed during the Industrial Revolution. The invention of the steam engine had a major effect on the economy of England during the Industrial Revolution through its use in mining, transportation, and factories.

An outburst in growth of America’s big city population, places of 100,000 people or more jumped from about 6 million to 14 million between 1880 and 1900, cities had become a world of newcomers (551). America evolved into a land of factories, corporate enterprise, and industrial worker and, the surge in immigration supplied their workers. In the latter half of the 19th century, continued industrialization and urbanization sparked an increasing demand for a larger and cheaper labor force. The country's transformation from a rural agricultural society into an urban industrial nation attracted immigrants worldwide. As free land and free labor disappeared and as capitalists dominated the economy, dramatic social, political, and economic

The introduction of an a highly efficient steam engine by Thomas Watt in 1769 was undoubtedly a crucial factor in the advent of the industrial revolution. This made it possible for mills and later factories to be located nearly anywhere by eliminating the necessity of a running stream to provide power. It was the rise of the factory system of manufacture with its strategy for the specialization of labor which contributed most to the

Although the people of a single nation share the same homeland, contradictory these people live in separate worlds. In the lives of the privileged and the unfortunate they are separated between their positions in the social ladder, which is defined by their financial stability. In Elizabeth Gaskell's, Mary Barton the different worlds of the wealthy is contrasted to those of the poor. Gaskell's attention to detail emphasizes the division among the two social classes, demonstrating the lavish and luxurious lives of the upper class as it is contrasted to those of the impoverish and disheartening lives of the lower class, while also developing characterization, illustrating the character's reactions to the

The idea of using steam as a force to power machinery was not new during the seventeen hundreds; it had already been mentioned by ancient Greek scholars. It was scientist such as James watt that refined that idea to create the steam engine (Live science, 2012). The concept is simple, water is heated by coal and the resulting steam acts as a driving force for the machines, similar to how the rivers flow powered the mills (Live science, 2012). Water power meant that factories were limited to certain locations, however steam powered factories could did not have such constraint (Live science, 2012). The steam engine expanded industries all over Britain. First, it improved the coal industry by pumping water out of coal mines, making it safe from flooding (Live science, 2012). Secondly, the

The Industrial Revolution began in Britain during the late 1700s. It took place during the 18th and 19th centuries. Document 3 displays the look of the environment at the beginning of this shift in society. It is filled with smoky chimneys. Machines and factories led to great productions, such as new systems of transportation, more efficient communication, banking systems, a variety of manufactured goods, and an overall improvement of living. Britain was the perfect place for the Industrial Revolution to begin due to its coal and iron. Factories became a necessity because of the increase in demand for British goods (Staff, 2009). Before the Industrial Revolution, transportation consisted of wagons, led by horses. “In the early 1800s, American Robert Fulton built the first commercially successful steamboat” (Staff, 2009). Along

During the late 1700s, production and manufacturing were centralized around people’s homes and farms. The majority of the work produced was done to provide for individual or community use; often hard labor, basic machines, and hand tools were used to carry out tasks. An era of powered machines and factories created the Industrial mark across the nation. Textile and iron industries developed the steam engine to help improve transportation and exchange to increase manufactured goods. While the impact improved the standard of living for a small majority, others a large majority remained poor and living in poverty. Urban cities that housed large manufacturing plants that provided jobs in often overcrowded cities and poor living conditions.

“The water-frame used the waterpower from fast-flowing streams to drive spinning wheels.” (course reader 102) Then there was the introduction of the steam engine and power-loom. Due to an expired patent, James Watt decided to create his version of the steam engine for use in a cotton mill plant and introduced a system for the factory that was revolutionary. As a result, wages and manufacturing of cotton and iron really increased. This helped get more work done in less time and gave people jobs. (Document 2) The steam engines also helped get the economy ramped up by being able to bring supplies to the cities and more jobs to people. The steam engines provided jobs because they needed miners, engineers, and sailors who could build the canals and railroads for this transportation. As a result, they could bring supplies to the cities which also increased farmland available to produce more food for everyone. (Document 3) The steam engine brought in railroad development, industrialization and changes to the population. (Document 9) With the growth of railways and transportation, from 1801-1851, many cities were developed within the central part of Great Britain and the population

Based on the ideas of Karl Marx, this theoretical approach asks us to consider how a literary work reflects the socioeconomic conditions of the time in which it was written. What does the text tell us about contemporary social classes and how does it reflect classism? Jane Eyre depicts the strict, hierarchical class system in England that required everyone to maintain carefully circumscribed class positions. Primarily through the character of Jane, it also accents the cracks in this system, the places where class differences were melding in Victorian England. For example, the novel questions the role of the governess: Should she be considered upper class, based on her superior education, or lower class,

also transformed people’s lives with the emphasis on ‘fine craftsmanship’ which showed the importance of steam power; showing the sheet form of modernisation taking place in Britain by the active innovations by people. The emergence of steam power he reckons was the ‘greatest revolution in economic history’ and would really transform the lives of ordinary people by them employing thousands of labourers to make their jobs easier and more efficient to do. The steam power enabled the building of steam engines which local businessmen in the words of Wilkes saw as an ‘opportunity to make a fortune’. This would have been due to the sheer amount of trade being able to be transported and travel across the country by steam powered engines and iron railways and the locomotion being transformed into a usable feature. By 1820, there were 15,000 miles of railway track in Britain and by the first official commercial use of railway being in 1830 showing the change over the short period of time as now people were able to use this method of transportation to shorten their journey times and seek a better and efficient way to travel. The success of railways allowed coal, timber and cattle to be moved along the tracks and allowing ordinary businessmen and farmers to expand their profits and make

During the 1800’s, England experienced an Industrial Revolution. With steam engines, coal, and steal coming about, England boomed with new factories and commerce. Previous to the invention and use of this machinery, England was a rural country, with many people making their own trades. Soon enough, machines with higher efficiency and speed began to replace hand-crafted materials. Factories with huge machinery began to pop up along with new job opportunities. By the mid-1800’s, fifty percent of people lived in urbanized areas, compared to less than

The steel industry was also revolutionized through the use of the steam engine. Steel, smelted from iron, was beaten, rolled or shaped on steam-powered machines. This steel became very cheap, and was able to be used for the railroad tracks, and also used later on in construction. (Gordon). Without the steal to be shaped so fast by the steam engines, countries couldn't have expanded its trade and travel the way it did. It is also said that, "The water works and, in many cases, the canals could not exist without steam-power, for their very existence depended upon the regular raising of large quantities of water to high levels. Steam was the only power that made this possible." (The Penetration of the Industry by steam power) Without the steam engine, these factories, mills, agricultural advances, and other industries could not have been revolutionized in the way they were.

The canalization of rivers, the steam engine, and railways were key components of the development of industry [2]. The extensive canal system was created around the mid 1700s to move goods and supplies inland. This system was cheaper and quicker than shipping goods over land [3]. The steam engine, however, was the driving force behind the Industrial Revolution. Prior to the invention of steam power, factories were located along rivers and used water for power. The development of a practical, efficient steam engine and its application to industry and transportation was a great leap in progress for industrialization. The steam engine’s application was limitless, and it was responsible for lifting industries from infancy to adolescence. Steam engines were used to develop machines that operated factory systems, pumps for mines, faster ships, and locomotives. A steam locomotive was able to carry raw materials and products very quickly. The expansion of the uses of the steam engine created the steam locomotive and a greater need for a railroad system. As a result, Railroads multiplied rapidly in England from 1,000 miles in 1836 to more than 7,000 miles by 1852 [4]. Machinery took the place of the work of many humans and made the work easier on others.

There is no doubt that the Industrial Revolution plays a central role in the modern British history. The structure of British society has forever changed by the impact and consequences of Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution is often stated as the increase of the number of factories, the exercise of steam power in a wide range of area and the mass-production produced by new technology in the course of 1750 to 1850 (Lane, 1978: 72). Engles (1986: 37) argued that the Industrial Revolution’s mainly development were the invention of the steam engine and the cotton industry. As the improvement of technology, the steam engine could produce more power with less

North and south is considered as the significant piece of Victorian literature, written by Elizabeth Gaskell. Elizabeth Gaskell was a novelist and short story writer. Her stories usually have a contemporary attitude she emphasized more on the women’s role, complex and realistic female characters. North and south is considered as her best known work .It features a strong lead female ,a mature love story and relevant social and political explanation about industrialization and class conflict present in mid-19th century in England. Through, North and south, Elizabeth Gaskell challenges the limiting gender roles of the Victorian era , by giving her heroin , Margaret both the feminine qualities of virtue and selflessness and Masculine qualities of independence and action . Gaskell perfectly balances her heroin between feminine and the masculine world as to not to appear “unwomanly” and subtly influence the readers and call for changing gender norms.