Wives and Daughters

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Set in a watchful English village during the early nineteenth century, this tale weaves romance, scandal, and intrigue. Seventeen-year-old Molly Gibson's life changes dramatically when her widowed father remarries, introducing her to a vain and manipulative stepfather and a glamorous new stepsister, Cynthia. As the girls grow closer, Molly becomes embroiled in Cynthia's love affairs, risking her own reputation and the affections of the man she secretly loves. This last novel by Elizabeth Gaskell, often regarded as her finest, offers a nuanced and compassionate exploration of human relationships while providing a witty critique of mid-Victorian society. The text is based on the 1866 Cornhill Magazine version and includes notes on textual variants, insights into the story's ending, and an introduction that delves into themes of Englishness, Darwinism, and masculine authority. For over seventy years, Penguin has been a leading publisher of classic literature, offering a diverse collection of more than 1,700 titles that represent the best works across genres and disciplines. Readers can rely on Penguin Classics for authoritative texts, enriched by introductions and notes from distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, along with modern translations by award-winning translators.