52 pages 1 hour read

Elizabeth Gaskell

Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1848

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Before You Read

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell is lauded for its vivid portrayal of 19th-century working-class life and societal issues. Critics praise its emotional depth and social critique, while some find the pacing slow and the melodramatic elements overwhelming. Overall, it is a powerful, empathetic, and significant work in Victorian literature.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Mary Barton?

Readers who enjoy socially conscious novels set in the Victorian era, such as Charles Dickens' Hard Times or Charlotte Brontë's Shirley, will appreciate Elizabeth Gaskell's Mary Barton. This book particularly appeals to those interested in class struggles, industrialization, and richly detailed character studies.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Lexile Level

1060L

Book Details

Genre
Classic Fiction
Historical Fiction
Romance
Period
Victorian Period
Victorian Literature / Period
Topics
Class
History: World
Themes
Identity: Femininity
Relationships: Family
Society: Class