Sylvia's Lovers

"Sylvia's Lovers" (1863) is a novel written by Elizabeth Gaskell, which she called "the saddest story I ever wrote". [http://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=1763]

Plot summary

The novel begins in the 1790s in the town of Monkshaven. Sylvia Robson lives with her parents on a farm, and is loved by her cousin Philip. She, however, meets and falls in love with Charlie Kinraid. When Kinraid goes back to his ship, he is press-ganged (a scene witnessed by Philip). Philip does not tell Sylvia of the incident and, believing her lover is dead, Sylvia eventually marries her cousin and they have a daughter. Inevitably, Kinraid returns to claim Sylvia and she discovers that Philip knew he was still alive. Sylvia throws her husband out but she refuses to leave with Kinraid. Philip joins the army, and ends up fighting in the Napoleonic wars where he saves Kinraid's life. Kinread goes back to Britain, and his wife goes to Sylvia to tell her her husband is a hero. Sylvia then realizes she is actually in love with Philip, and that Charlie Kinread is a cad. Philip meanwhile was horribly disfigured in France, and returns to the small Northumbrian village to try to see his child. He ends up staying with Sylvia's parents' servant's sister and rescues his child when she nearly drowns. In saving his daughter he is injured, but is reconciled with his wife as he dies.

Reception

The novel is one of Elizabeth Gaskell's least known works. John McVeagh has pointed to a "sudden lapse into melodrama" which "reduces and cheapens an interesting story". [http://www.jstor.org/sici?sici=0026-7937(197004)65%3A2%3C272%3ATMO%22L%3E2.0.CO%3B2-%23] However it has also received praise and been compared positively with the writings of George Elliot, particularly Adam Bede. [http://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=1763]

External links

*gutenberg|no=4537