Mary Barton(I) 瑪麗·巴頓(英文版)
MaryBartonisthefirstnovelpublishedin1848byEnglishauthorElizabethGaskell.ThestoryissetinManchester,anddealswiththedifficultiesfacedbytheVictorianlowerclass.Itissubtitled'ATaleofManchesterLife'.Gaskell'sdesiretoaccuratelyrepresentthepovertyofindustrialManchesterisevidentinarecordofavisitshemadetothehomeofalocallabourer.ItisasubjectofsomedebatewhetherthefirstpersonnarratorinMaryBartonissynonymouswithGaskell.ThestorybeginsinManchester,whereweareintroducedtotheBartonsandtheWilsons,twoworking-classfamilies.JohnBartonisaquestionerofthedistributionofwealthandtherelationsbetweenrichandpoor.Soonhiswifedies—heblamesitonhergriefoverthedisappearanceofhersisterEsther.HavingalreadylosthissonTomatayoungage,Bartonislefttoraisehisdaughter,Mary,aloneandnowfallsintodepressionandbeginstoinvolvehimselfintheChartist,trade-unionmovement.
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