Little Molly Gibson lives in the small English town Hollingford with her father, Dr. Gibson. Her mother is dead, and she is her kind father's companion. In spite of his busy occupation, Dr. Gibson is a devoted father, and the two share a very close bond.
When Molly is a young girl, Miss Browning and her sister Miss Phoebe take Molly to the grand tea at Lord and Lady Cumnor's estate. It is a very exciting event for Molly - her first tea at the Cumnor's. During the festivities, Molly falls asleep. She is found by one of Lady Cumnor's daughters and her governess, Claire Kirkpatrick. Lady Cumnor's daughter takes pity on Molly and offers to let her rest in Claire's room. The Misses Brownings, each thinking the other has their young charge, leave the tea and poor Molly. When she wakes up and comes downstairs, it is evening. She eats with the children, but she does not enjoy her stay with nobility. Dr. Gibson arrives and takes her home.
The story jumps forward several years. Molly is now a young lady, and she has a secret admirer - so secret that even she does not yet know it. The young man is a medical apprentice of her father. Dr. Gibson does not approve of him. To derail the man's infatuation with his daughter, Dr. Gibson sends Molly to visit Hamely Hall.
Hamely Hall is the home of Squire Hamley and his invalid wife. They are good friends of Dr. Gibson, and Molly finds a second home here. She spends most of her time with Mrs. Hamley. Mrs. Hamley has two sons, both away at college. The oldest is Osborne and younger is Roger. Osborne is the favorite of both father and mother. He is very talented and clever, and Squire Hamley has high hopes of his marrying well and restoring the failing fortunes of the family. Roger is the quieter son and lives in the shadow of his brother. After hearing Mrs. Hamley's high praise of Osborne, Molly eagerly looks forward to meeting him.
Trouble visits the family when Roger arrives with the horrible and despairing news that Osborne has done badly in his exams and he will not receive a fellowship (this, if I remember correctly, was a recognition of his academic standing: he would have a position at the university, and he would receive a salary). Molly tries to comfort Squire and Mrs. Hamley, but they are so disappointed in Osborne. Squire Hamley especially so.
Though she has become partial towards Osborne, Molly forms a friendship with Roger. He is a naturalist and very smart. He is not eloquent but sincere and kind. She becomes like a sister to him, as she has become a daughter to Squire and Mrs. Hamley.
Molly's happy world is shaken when her father tells her some startling news: he is going to remarry. His choice of bride is the widow Mrs. Hyacinth Kirkpatrick, former governess to Lord and Lady Cumnor's children. She was then called "Claire," and not Hyacinth. Mrs. Kirkpatrick has one daughter, Cynthia. She is studying in France and does not attend the wedding. From the beginning, the new Mrs. Gibson changes the whole order of the life Molly once knew. Mrs. Gibson is rather inconsiderate and self-serving. These two flaws affect her entire character and how she interacts with her new step-daughter and family friends.
When Mrs. Hamley's delicate health steadily worsens, Molly returns to her dear friend's side. Roger and the disgraced Osborne are called home, and Molly finally has the pleasure of meeting the son and heir of the Hamley estate. Molly likes him, but it is Roger with whom she is falling in love. However, it takes Cynthia to realize this.
Of all the changes taking place in her life, Molly enjoys having a step-sister the most. Cynthia comes to live with the Gibsons’, and soon the two girls are close friends. Cynthia is lovely and winsome, but she, like her mother, is self-centered and enjoys flirting. Roger falls victim to her smiles and charm. Too late does Molly realizes that she cares for Roger as more than just a brother.
When Mrs. Gibson, who prefers Osborne to Roger, invites the young Hamley gentlemen to dinner, Molly accidentally overhears a secret the two brothers are guarding very carefully. She promises to protect their secret, and, as time passes, Molly keeps another secret for someone else, a secret that nearly ruins her own reputation.
Wives and Daughters is the last novel Elizabeth Gaskell wrote. In fact, she died before finishing it. I did not realize this until I came to the last page of the book. I was greatly disappointed because I was enjoying myself immensely. Fortunately, the novel was almost complete before her untimely death and you can guess how it ended.
If you enjoy Jane Austen's novels you will enjoy Wives and Daughters. It deals slightly with the theme that gentlemen of higher rank should not marry below their station, and it portrays a strong bond between father and daughter which is reminiscent of the strong relationship between Elizabeth Bennett and her father. Like Elinor Dashwood and Anne Elliot, Molly must face her romantic disappointments quietly as she watches another accept the attentions of the man she loves.
If you have seen BBC's miniseries of Wives and Daughters starring Justine Waddell, you will be surprised at how close it is to the novel. Andrew Davies, the screenplay writer, kept very close to Gaskell's original tale, and I love Justine Waddell's portrayal of little Molly Gibson. I highly recommend both the series and the book.
Not only is Wives and Daughters a delightful story full of terrific characters, it offers a peek into the life - culturally and socially - of early Victorians. The novel is full of nuances to books, laws, and customs that the average 21st century reader knows little or nothing about. I love history and for all those that do, I recommend the Penguin Classic edition of this book. Penguin Classics offers a very detailed section at the back of the book to the explanation of these cultural and social references, providing the reader with a rich and complete understanding of this romantic tale.
Here is a link to the first part of the BBC miniseries: YouTube: Wives & Daughters
When Molly is a young girl, Miss Browning and her sister Miss Phoebe take Molly to the grand tea at Lord and Lady Cumnor's estate. It is a very exciting event for Molly - her first tea at the Cumnor's. During the festivities, Molly falls asleep. She is found by one of Lady Cumnor's daughters and her governess, Claire Kirkpatrick. Lady Cumnor's daughter takes pity on Molly and offers to let her rest in Claire's room. The Misses Brownings, each thinking the other has their young charge, leave the tea and poor Molly. When she wakes up and comes downstairs, it is evening. She eats with the children, but she does not enjoy her stay with nobility. Dr. Gibson arrives and takes her home.
The story jumps forward several years. Molly is now a young lady, and she has a secret admirer - so secret that even she does not yet know it. The young man is a medical apprentice of her father. Dr. Gibson does not approve of him. To derail the man's infatuation with his daughter, Dr. Gibson sends Molly to visit Hamely Hall.
Hamely Hall is the home of Squire Hamley and his invalid wife. They are good friends of Dr. Gibson, and Molly finds a second home here. She spends most of her time with Mrs. Hamley. Mrs. Hamley has two sons, both away at college. The oldest is Osborne and younger is Roger. Osborne is the favorite of both father and mother. He is very talented and clever, and Squire Hamley has high hopes of his marrying well and restoring the failing fortunes of the family. Roger is the quieter son and lives in the shadow of his brother. After hearing Mrs. Hamley's high praise of Osborne, Molly eagerly looks forward to meeting him.
Trouble visits the family when Roger arrives with the horrible and despairing news that Osborne has done badly in his exams and he will not receive a fellowship (this, if I remember correctly, was a recognition of his academic standing: he would have a position at the university, and he would receive a salary). Molly tries to comfort Squire and Mrs. Hamley, but they are so disappointed in Osborne. Squire Hamley especially so.
Though she has become partial towards Osborne, Molly forms a friendship with Roger. He is a naturalist and very smart. He is not eloquent but sincere and kind. She becomes like a sister to him, as she has become a daughter to Squire and Mrs. Hamley.
Molly's happy world is shaken when her father tells her some startling news: he is going to remarry. His choice of bride is the widow Mrs. Hyacinth Kirkpatrick, former governess to Lord and Lady Cumnor's children. She was then called "Claire," and not Hyacinth. Mrs. Kirkpatrick has one daughter, Cynthia. She is studying in France and does not attend the wedding. From the beginning, the new Mrs. Gibson changes the whole order of the life Molly once knew. Mrs. Gibson is rather inconsiderate and self-serving. These two flaws affect her entire character and how she interacts with her new step-daughter and family friends.
When Mrs. Hamley's delicate health steadily worsens, Molly returns to her dear friend's side. Roger and the disgraced Osborne are called home, and Molly finally has the pleasure of meeting the son and heir of the Hamley estate. Molly likes him, but it is Roger with whom she is falling in love. However, it takes Cynthia to realize this.
Of all the changes taking place in her life, Molly enjoys having a step-sister the most. Cynthia comes to live with the Gibsons’, and soon the two girls are close friends. Cynthia is lovely and winsome, but she, like her mother, is self-centered and enjoys flirting. Roger falls victim to her smiles and charm. Too late does Molly realizes that she cares for Roger as more than just a brother.
When Mrs. Gibson, who prefers Osborne to Roger, invites the young Hamley gentlemen to dinner, Molly accidentally overhears a secret the two brothers are guarding very carefully. She promises to protect their secret, and, as time passes, Molly keeps another secret for someone else, a secret that nearly ruins her own reputation.
Wives and Daughters is the last novel Elizabeth Gaskell wrote. In fact, she died before finishing it. I did not realize this until I came to the last page of the book. I was greatly disappointed because I was enjoying myself immensely. Fortunately, the novel was almost complete before her untimely death and you can guess how it ended.
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| Wives & Daughters |
If you have seen BBC's miniseries of Wives and Daughters starring Justine Waddell, you will be surprised at how close it is to the novel. Andrew Davies, the screenplay writer, kept very close to Gaskell's original tale, and I love Justine Waddell's portrayal of little Molly Gibson. I highly recommend both the series and the book.
Not only is Wives and Daughters a delightful story full of terrific characters, it offers a peek into the life - culturally and socially - of early Victorians. The novel is full of nuances to books, laws, and customs that the average 21st century reader knows little or nothing about. I love history and for all those that do, I recommend the Penguin Classic edition of this book. Penguin Classics offers a very detailed section at the back of the book to the explanation of these cultural and social references, providing the reader with a rich and complete understanding of this romantic tale.
Here is a link to the first part of the BBC miniseries: YouTube: Wives & Daughters
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