Abstract: Elizabeth Gaskell is a distinguished female writer in Victorian age. North and South is one     of her works which shows her concern about social and industrial problems. Margaret Hale, the heroine in North and South is quite different from other traditional women in Victorian age. The paper pays much attention to the heroine, analyzing her new woman image from three aspects. First, Margaret shows great interests in social problems. She participates actively in the social activities and mediates between the capitalists and workers. Second, she refuses to be an “angel in the house”. Margaret undertakes the responsibility to take care of her family and makes decisions in her family. Third, Margaret is a new-marriage promoter. She refuses to passively accept an unequal marriage and she pursues true love and goes after the freedom in choosing a spouse. This paper explores Margaret’s new woman image through the roles she plays in the novel. To Mrs.Gaskell, woman should not be confined to family, they ought to have the rights to play a part in social and political affairs, and they should enjoy the independence in marriage.

Key words: Elizabeth Gaskell; North and South; new woman image

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1.Introduction.1

  1.1 Introduction to Elizabeth Gaskell

  1.2 Introduction to North and South

2. Literature Review.2

3. Margaret: A Social Activist3

  3.1 Lower Position of Women in Victorian Society 

  3.2 Margaret’s Fight for Political Discourse in Social Affairs

4. Margaret: A Decision-maker in Family.4

  4.1 Traditional Role of Women in Victorian Family

  4.2 Margaret’s Struggle for Equal Rights with Men in Family

5. Margaret: A New-marriage Promoter5

  5.1 Obedient Women’s Passive Acceptance of Unequal Marriage

  5.2 Margaret’s Pursuit of Independence in Marriage

6. Conclusion7

Bibliography.9

Acknowledgements10