Ruth

By: Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrated by: Eve Matheson

Length: 16 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's Summary

Exclusively from Audible

The orphaned heroine Ruth, apprenticed to a dressmaker, is seduced by wealthy Henry Bellingham who is captivated by her simplicity and beauty. Their affair causes her to lose her home and job to which he offers her shelter, only to cruelly abandon her soon after. She is offered a chance of a new life though shamed in the eyes of society by her illegitimate son. When Henry reappears offering marriage she must choose between social acceptance and her own pride. Ruth ultimately finds a path that affirms we are not bound to repeat our mistakes.

A social audiobook of love, family and hypocrisy, it examines the Victorian views about sin and the social stigma of illegitimacy. Gaskell is compassionate in her portrayal of Ruth who would normally be outcast from respectable society.

Ruth was the first mainstream novel to cast a 'fallen woman' in the role of heroine and inevitably caused controversy when published. It predates Hardy's own such heroine in Tess of the d'Urbervilles by nearly 40 years.

Gaskell was an accomplished writer and had much of her work published in Charles Dickens' magazine Household Words. She was also friends with Charlotte Brontë and after her death, her father, Patrick Brontë, chose Gaskell to write The Life of Charlotte Brontë.

Narrator Biography

As well as a substantial portfolio of voiceover work, Eve Matheson's career spans audiobooks, theatre, television, film and radio. She has narrated several audiobooks, including Tracy Chevalier's Falling Angels and Erica James' Act of Faith, and documentaries including Fermat's Last Theorem (1996) which won several awards including a BAFTA. On screen, she is best known for her roles as Becky Sharp in the 1987 BBC adaptation of the novel Vanity Fair and as Zoe Angell in May to December (1989-1990). She has frequently appeared at the Royal National Theatre and in the West End, playing roles such as Cordelia in King Lear, Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream and as Lady Anne in Richard III. From 2005-2006, she appeared as Mrs. Milcote in the original Royal National Theatre production of Helen Edmundson's Coram Boy. Her recent television appearances have included roles in Silent Witness (2015) and Call the Midwife (2014).

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Fallen Woman Finds Redemption

Ruth, orphaned and alone at the age of 12, is lead astray at 16 by an affluent, self centered young man in his early 20's and then abandoned after she becomes pregnant. She is taken in by a kindly, sympathetic clergyman and his sister who share their home. Assuming the identity of a young widow, Ruth raises her child and is grateful for her good fortune and the generosity of those around her. After a dozen years, her secret of being an unwed mother is, through unexpected connections, revealed. She is then rejected and shunned by members of the community who had previously welcomed her into their homes. The rest of the story concerns Ruth's redemption; she is finally recognized and elevated for always putting the welfare of others ahead of her own. The novel is beautifully executed with a bittersweet ending. I have read and listed to a number of Elizabeth Gaskell's novels and have found each to be unique and memorable. The author balances sorrow and joy in equal parts.

Sublime reading by Eve Matheson

The jewel of this audio recording is the voice of Eve Matheson. Her sensitive reading brings Ruth to life.

interesting for Ruth's social predicament

This is a great companion to Eliot's Adam Bede and Hardy's Tess for its pregnant-outside-of- wedlock protagonist (although Gaskill's sentimentality leads to a different treatment).

I found this to be the best structured of Gaskill's novels, and I think Mr Benson one of the more interesting characters she created. I've heard that Ruth was based on a real character known to Gaskill's family. Hooray for Gaskill for taking up the topic as early as she did (though overall she still placated Victorian sensibilities and made Ruth a "too good to be true" character to try to garner contemporary readers sympathies)

LOVED it!

I loved this story. Loved the characters. Bravo!

A Novel of Respectability

As in North and South, Gaskell explores the values and inequities of Victorian society here. The main character, a desperate young woman who has lost her job and has no family to assist her, falls prey to a handsome gent--it's the old "seduced and abandoned" theme. But Ruth gets a chance to redeem her life and to provide a happier future for her son--temporarily, of course. Although there are no surprises here (the story is quite predictable), Gaskell makes it interesting with her fine characterizations and understanding of the human heart.

Excellent story. Perfectly narrated.

What did you love best about Ruth?

The narrator does a great job of subtly changing between the many characters' voices.

Which character – as performed by Eve Matheson – was your favorite?

Mr. Benson.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I cried. (But I cry at Hallmark ads...) I was most struck by how well the story illustrates the redemptive power of true selflessness...without expectation of any reward.

Any additional comments?

I love Gaskell's ability to develop characters. She takes what would be background characters in, say, a Jane Austen novel...the destitute widow, the spinster sisters, the crippled neighbor...and gives them the lead roles. Their seemingly everyday struggles and triumphs built up to heroic proportions. Very satisfying.

The Burden, The Shame, The Glory

Eve Matheson has a fine expressive musical voice which brings out the subtle details and exquisite character sketches Gaskell wove into this story including as an aside, the splendid example of parents' counterproductive interference with the romance of a daughter. Rich, handsome Henry Bellingham calls to mind John Willoughby, "Sense and Sensibility" who, I am sure you recall, seduced Eliza Brandon then abandoned her unmarried, pregnant and penniless, a circumstance which often reduced a woman to prostitution and a short, brutish life; i.e. a death sentence. His public humiliation of Marianne Dashwood was her social death sentence. His behavior revealed a true character totally different from the noble and amiable person which we thought we knew. I go on and on about Willoughby because Bellingham is a Willoughby. As you remember, after her illness, Marianne became a stronger, better woman. Myself, I didn't like her until then. Ruth became a stronger better person after she was abandoned by Bellingham. She took charge of her life and that of her son. While she was certainly the weaker of the two in the beginning of her relationship with Bellingham, as time went on, she grew strong while he remained the same. So much stronger she became, that she sent him packing when he offers belated marriage, i.e. salvation, wealth, ease for herself and her child.

I often read of women similarly situated being put to death so let us not congratulate ourselves that the attitudes expressed in this story are dated and we live in a time superior to Ruth's world of the 1800's. Indeed, one often sees stories where the woman is killed for much smaller offenses or is guilty of being a rape victim. Ruth is here among us, today, in the Twenty-First Century. Our women's groups are notable by their silence as they mostly are on issues of real consequence. Let us be humble before our Ruths. Listen, hear the silence.

too sweet a christian

If the elderly servant, Sally, had been the rule for Elizabeth Gaskell in forming her characters in this book, it would have been another great like "North and South". Sally's wit and comic urbanity, contrasts sharply with the nauseatingly sweet goodness of Ruth, the innocent led into predictable sin by a wealthy young rake. The result is a preachy fairy tale of Christian redemption through sacrifice. Elizabeth Gaskell is a clever observer of people and their foibles, but in Ruth she missteps in giving her heroine unearthly beauty and divine purity, thus, taking her out of the realm of common mortals. Nevertheless, Gaskell writes an entertaining story which only requires a suspension of disbelief in human nature. The reader is excellent.

Is this narrator depressed?

The narrator of this story sounds so glum that it makes the listener dread the next sentence. It's almost as though she's apologizing for telling you a sad story. I recommend choosing the version narrated by Nadia May.

Depressing, unrelentingly depressing.

i have listened to North and South also by this author numerous times. She must have been having a nervous breakdown to pen such a dreary tale.

A window into Victorian Britain

Elizabeth Gaskell?s excellent 3-dimensional characters (Mr. Bradshaw, whose inflexible adherence to his interpretation of the bible make him tragically mistaken in his belief that he is good whilst his actions make him cruel and heartless; Mr. Benson, who believes, erroneously ? also because of rigid Victorian religious views ? that he is evil, whilst in reality he is charitable and Christ-like in his attitude to ?sin?) give a true insight into Victorian society.
Apart from some seemingly endless ramblings in sections of Ruth, in the main, it is a thoughtful, skilfully structured novel which gives a vivid portrayal of how it was to live in Victorian times.
Eve Matheson is quite brilliant in her narration and portrayals of all the characters. I highly recommend this audiobook.

The

In some ways this is a deeply sentimental, predictable story, in which Ruth, like Tess D'Urberville, is hung out to dry by her author. Compared with the much feistier heroines of the Brontes,Ruth can seem implausibly passive. But it is still a fascinating and gripping account of Victorian mores, and one that makes the listener all the happier to be living in the 21st century. Beautifully read by Eve Mattheson who at least doubles the pleasure.

Ruth: a fascinating brave book

Brilliant book. Ruth sometimes seems a bit passive but then she must fit into the story in terms of the moral and religious dilemmas and conflicts presented to challenge the reader's understanding of true faith and redemption- not morally upright society's permanent relegation of 'fallen women' to outside its boundaries. What an amazingly brave second novel which is made real by the author's own involvement with the poor and outcast in her work as a minister's wife. To think that it was burnt by church elders too! Underlines the dual standards for the 'acceptable' behaviour of men versus those applied to women.

An unusually sympathetic view of a single mother

This novel first appeared in 1853, so its sympathetic view of a very young woman whose naivete led her to be seduced by a social superior was exceptionally insightful.
Ruth's 'sin' is never represented as laudable but is presented to us as a sad event brought about by her own ignorance and lack of motherly advice.
Ruth herself is seen to be the embodiment of nineteenth century womanly virtue, in all but one important sense: she is the mother of an illegitimate child. Her religion is deep and pure and her compassion for others demonstrated daily. Mrs Gaskell seems to forgive the character a great deal because she is seen to be modest, shy and possesses a quiet dignity and self-possession. In addition to all this exceptional dignity of bearing, she is beautiful and innocent-looking.
I had to suppress the cynical part of my brain which kept wondering how she would have been received had she been less beautiful and more brazenly outspoken.
My only reservation is that a certain mawkish sentimentality creeps in when Ruth's self-sacrifice and contrition is described. Since Charles Dickens has remained popular despite his mawkish tendencies I think Mrs Gaskell can be forgiven, just as she forgives the lovely Ruth.

Eve Matheson's narration is outstanding

I have read 'Ruth' more than once but hearing it narrated by Eve Matheson brought it absolutely to life in a way I hadn't experienced before. I would recommend this to anyone.

superb characterisation

I loved Gaskell's Mary Barton but the story in this one is rather long winded and very predictable. Fortunately the quality of the performance carries you through. Not sure I'll bother with the author again but will look for Eve Matheson for sure, she was brilliant.

Ruth

I found myself captured by the story. At times I felt irritated by the heroine because she seemed so utterly resigned to her fate. It is interesting to think how such a story would have been told today and how Ruth would have behaved. Beautifully read b

Passionate advocacy

The story is predictable, and indeed heavily signposted. But the redemption of a young girl seduced, and abandoned with her baby, by an older and richer man is most powerful. Above all the strength and conviction of Mrs Gaskell's advocacy of her heroine is truly moving. And, most engaging of all, both justification and restoration are set within a believing Christian context. In our enlightened century, we expect atheist anger; instead we are giving the warmth of true faith - unusual and deeply affecting. And what a lovely reader is Eve Matheson! Please can she read more classics - her voice is pure gold.
(After listening a second time) It improves on re-listening: as the plot becomes less important, the character of the heroine becomes more so.

Slow start but worth staying with the story

Enjoyed this as much as Gaskell’s other books and have no idea why it is so less known.
Well worth a listen if you like this type of book.

Old fashioned morality tale

I've read and enjoyed a couple of other books by Elizabeth Gaskell in which she illustrates the injustices in Victorian society, particularly toward women who have to work for a living. In Ruth she explores the double-standards in moral behaviour expected in women compared with men and how a woman's entire life was blighted by a lapse in early life. It was brave of the author, at that time, to try and paint a sympathetic picture of a girl who co-habited with a man and bore a illegitimate child. To modern sensibilities, thank goodness, the self-righteous censure by Society described in the story of the mother and "innocent" child are obnoxious but probably reflected the hypocrisy of the time.
Ruth is a very long book; it's an epic story; Elizabeth Gaskell wrote beautifully in a style that suits being read; and it is read superbly well by Eve Matheson. But, for me, it had far too much pious religiosity, perpetually saying that cruel things were God's Will. I don't remember Elizabeth Gaskell's other books containing such repellent sentiments, perhaps she had to put this stuff in to counter censure by her critics, but it may also be that my mind has been influenced by being so impressed by Richard Dawkin's recent excoriating exposure of religious hypocrisy.