North & South discussion

It cannot be denied that this is quite a serious novel and story - there is a lot of death and loss, the problems between workers and masters and many of the themes are very serious matters.

I had been used to more light-hearted and humorous stories until North and South, but I found the seriousness to be a refreshing change.

I generally am not one for serious, sad stories but while definitely not as light-hearted as Austen, it is not as dramatically over the top (in my own opinion!) as the Bronte sisters' – I think it finds a happy medium.

What do you think?
(I hope I have offended too many Bronte fans ;) )

I remember reading an abridged version of Wuthering Heights when I was a child. It was incredibly serious, I found, and though the writing was quite beautiful I didn't enjoy it much.

I certainly appreciate both the lightness of Jane Austen and the slightly heavier tone of North & South. Originally I thought that the seriousness was going to be too much for me, but there was such a quiet beauty about it I had to keep watching.

Though I fear I'll probably offend someone by saying this *cough* Soph *cough* but I think that the fact that North & South has higher stakes makes it more serious, and the higher stakes in turn sometimes make the story a little more interesting than the continual social problems in relationships that Jane Austen's novel revolved around. Emma suffered particularly from this, in my view. So while North & South was a little more serious, I think it certainly does meet a happy medium, and the seriousness also adds a certain amount of dramatic tension.

@Becca - The ending of the Bronte novels are not always that happy either! The ending of wuthering heights is happy, ish. Happy for two but not happy at all for the main to characters!

I also thought that the seriousness may have been too much for me, but it wasn't! I was drawn in like you and had to keep going!

I must defend Miss Austen, but I do agree that the seriousness adds dramatic tension. Although I do not think this makes it MORE interesting than Austen's novels - Emma has been said to be a murder mystery without the actually murder - I think it just approaches a story from a different aspect and so it makes it different, not more or less interesting.

For me, I enjoy the more light hearted side to Austen's work and the wit and humour and I am more likely to re-read or even watch an Austen. But, as I said in the beginning post, I like the seriousness for a change if I am in the mood as it is not as gothic/dark as Bronte, which I just don't get on with!

Soph wrote: "@Becca - The ending of the Bronte novels are not always that happy either! The ending of wuthering heights is happy, ish. Happy for two but not happy at all for the main to characters!

I also thou..."

:) You wouldn't be you if you didn't defend Miss Austen, and please believe that I in no way intend to insult our dear authoress. But I felt compelled to mention Emma as it is perhaps my least favourite of Austen's novels, simply because I did not find all that much (in the middle segment at least) to be interesting. (Please don't hit me). In any case, I concur that Emma is perhaps approached from a different aspect, but for me personally that aspect was less interesting or enjoyable that the way some of Austen's other works were approached.

In actual fact, I tend to enjoy Jane Austen's work when they do have more seriousness in them, because she generally masterfully counterbalances that with lightness. For example, in Sense and Sensibility, Marianne's illness adds that seriousness and dramatic tension. And in Northanger Abbey, the imitation of Gothic novels add seriousness, while Austen's mockery of Gothic novels at the very same time provides humour.

I do very much like Jane Austen's wit and humour. :) And certainly choosing between N&S and Jane Austen may often depend on the mood of a person. I'm sure it will with my, when I'm not so hyped up (though I'm not sure I will stop being hyped up... :D) over the beautiful work that is the North & South series.

Well we are all entitled to our own opinions anyway. :)

I do enjoy the drama which comes from Marianne's Illness and also Lydia's elopement in Pride and Prejudice.

You will never come down from your high I don't think - but you really need to read it ;)

Yes, yes we are. :)

Lydia's elopement... yes that does add a touch of drama, especially so in the film, I thought.

Hmmmm, on a high for North & South all my life? :D That I can live with. Ahhh, so need to read the book, I know!!!!!!

Hahahahaha...I enjoy your bickering so much :D Thank you!

;)

:D You're welcome, Samanta.

I think the seriousness of the novel is the reason why I would rather re-watch it than re-read it.

I appreciate the cleverness of the story and the historic picture it paints but it is a little depressing in parts.

I don't think Jane Austen's novels are lighter, they just have a different style and the seriousness of some of the situations are carried off with clever words.

Elizabeth Gaskell seems to prefer more detailed descriptions, like Dickens. I have only read Jane Eyre of the Brontes works but I'm not a fan.

Gaskell was one of Dickens's protégés, and I agree she writes very much in his style of social issue fiction. My copy of North and South suggests that there was some tension between them when her novels were serialized in Household Words (I think - the mind grows fuzzy.) Gaskell seems much less caricature-based than Dickens does to me, and maybe less didactic.

I find the detail-heavy mid-nineteenth century literary style reminds me of the Victorian home decor style - lots of tchotchkes, heavy drapes, wallpaper, etc. now that is funny because of the kerfuffle right when the Hales are choosing a house and the terrible wallpaper that would be okay if they weren't so refined, which Mr T realizes when he meets Margaret. that's one of those parts of the novel I wish I understood better. What kind of wallpaper could it be?!?!

@Louise - 'but it is a little depressing in parts.' you are right, it is in the nature of the story. But I am still glad It does not go as far as the Bronte's.

I agree about Austen; her novels appear less serious, but there are definitely are serious situations carried off, as you say, with witty words or conversations.

@Kate - great point about the literary style reflecting the home décor! ahaha ;) it is very true, what kind of wallpaper could it be! ;)

I read this book in college many years ago, for a class on Victorian literature. We read Hard Times (Dickens), Jude the Obscure, North and South and I can't remember what else. I also read Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights, Persuasion, The Awakening and some more modern literature in other classes. Compared to most of the above list, North and South is positively light! I liked it best of the books we read in that class. The softer moments appealed to me. I didn't much care for the preachy bits about Christian charity and Bessy dying but otherwise I enjoyed it.

I like light with substance and prefer the wit of Jane Austen over social issue novels but Persuasion is my favorite Austen novel because of the more mature, serious story line.

Qnpoohbear wrote: "I read this book in college many years ago, for a class on Victorian literature. We read Hard Times (Dickens), Jude the Obscure, North and South and I can't remember what else. I also ..."


ohhhhh, Persuasion is my favourite Austen novel as well. Haha! I am grinning like a fool right now! {severely off topic in a N&S group, hehe but I love it. Forgive me mods.

I do not mind serious tone, it all depends on my mood. I like Wuthering Heights, it is one novel I just cannot forget. I also like Great Expectations and desire to read and reread more Dickens.