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Ruth
- Narrated by: Eve Matheson
- Length: 16 hrs and 50 mins
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Ruth
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Summary
Exclusively from Audible
The orphaned heroine Ruth, apprenticed to a dressmaker, is seduced by wealthy Henry Bellingham who is captivated by her simplicity and beauty. Their affair causes her to lose her home and job to which he offers her shelter, only to cruelly abandon her soon after. She is offered a chance of a new life though shamed in the eyes of society by her illegitimate son. When Henry reappears offering marriage she must choose between social acceptance and her own pride. Ruth ultimately finds a path that affirms we are not bound to repeat our mistakes.
A social audiobook of love, family and hypocrisy, it examines the Victorian views about sin and the social stigma of illegitimacy. Gaskell is compassionate in her portrayal of Ruth who would normally be outcast from respectable society.
Ruth was the first mainstream novel to cast a 'fallen woman' in the role of heroine and inevitably caused controversy when published. It predates Hardy's own such heroine in Tess of the d'Urbervilles by nearly 40 years.
Gaskell was an accomplished writer and had much of her work published in Charles Dickens' magazine Household Words. She was also friends with Charlotte Brontë and after her death, her father, Patrick Brontë, chose Gaskell to write The Life of Charlotte Brontë.
Narrator Biography
As well as a substantial portfolio of voiceover work, Eve Matheson's career spans audiobooks, theatre, television, film and radio. She has narrated several audiobooks, including Tracy Chevalier's Falling Angels and Erica James' Act of Faith, and documentaries including Fermat's Last Theorem (1996) which won several awards including a BAFTA. On screen, she is best known for her roles as Becky Sharp in the 1987 BBC adaptation of the novel Vanity Fair and as Zoe Angell in May to December (1989-1990). She has frequently appeared at the Royal National Theatre and in the West End, playing roles such as Cordelia in King Lear, Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream and as Lady Anne in Richard III. From 2005-2006, she appeared as Mrs. Milcote in the original Royal National Theatre production of Helen Edmundson's Coram Boy. Her recent television appearances have included roles in Silent Witness (2015) and Call the Midwife (2014).
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What listeners say about Ruth
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Margaret Knight
- 12-08-20
A Great Read
I loved the integrated descriptions that enabled one to 'see' what or who was being described.
Gaskell is a talented classic author.
The storyline held me captive.
Great narration too.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anthony Saville
- 01-05-13
Passionate advocacy
The story is predictable, and indeed heavily signposted. But the redemption of a young girl seduced, and abandoned with her baby, by an older and richer man is most powerful. Above all the strength and conviction of Mrs Gaskell's advocacy of her heroine is truly moving. And, most engaging of all, both justification and restoration are set within a believing Christian context. In our enlightened century, we expect atheist anger; instead we are giving the warmth of true faith - unusual and deeply affecting. And what a lovely reader is Eve Matheson! Please can she read more classics - her voice is pure gold.
(After listening a second time) It improves on re-listening: as the plot becomes less important, the character of the heroine becomes more so.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Colette Clarke
- 22-10-21
Captivating story
I loved this beautiful story, so well written and equally well narrated. I look forward to listening to more books by Elizabeth Gaskell
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- v montel
- 21-12-22
Very enjoyable story with great narration
Very enjoyable story with great narration. At first I thought I would find I too old fashioned but nearing the end I was sad that it was nearly over.
I enjoyed the style of the narrative, and the sentiment of times gone by.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Alec Bowling
- 20-02-23
Thank God we don’t live in Victorian times
I’d not heard of Ruth before finding it on Audible. It’s in the vain of Tess of the D’Urbivilles. Thank God we don’t live in Victorian times, their treatment of perceived misdemeanours was brutal. Elizabeth Gaskell is a insightful and sympathetic writer without directly criticising the moral norms of her day.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Lisa
- 10-02-09
The
In some ways this is a deeply sentimental, predictable story, in which Ruth, like Tess D'Urberville, is hung out to dry by her author. Compared with the much feistier heroines of the Brontes,Ruth can seem implausibly passive. But it is still a fascinating and gripping account of Victorian mores, and one that makes the listener all the happier to be living in the 21st century. Beautifully read by Eve Mattheson who at least doubles the pleasure.
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9 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mrs
- 22-04-18
Slow start but worth staying with the story
Enjoyed this as much as Gaskell’s other books and have no idea why it is so less known.
Well worth a listen if you like this type of book.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- nicola spiers
- 28-07-20
neglected gem
beautifully constructed and sweet story, themes of love and parenthood, strongly feminist, deeply satisfying, so glad to have found it
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mary Scullard
- 30-12-21
Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell
i did find this book difficult at times, but final chapters were very absorbing.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Sometimes it's a Zebra 🦓
- 07-05-23
Ruth
This was really good!
This is an astute and insightful look at Victorian society.
How ahead of her time Gaskell was in writing a book sympathetic to a "fallen woman"!
Calling out the hypocrisy of the pious and sanctimonious "good" christians who are too quick to cast stones and condemn rather than offering a kind ear or a helping hand to those in need.
There were still deep seeded problems with Gaskell's portrayal, such as maintaining that Ruth "sinned" in the first place and then that "not all" fallen women are vile, sordid, cheap and shameful parasites - some repent and seek redemption! These ones can be saved!
All you have to do is become completely selfless, repeatedly put your life on the line for others and become a saint, then you too can leave your dirty wanton ways behind you and become a worthy human being again! 😌🙄
Still though, we're talking 1853! So this was all pretty controversial stuff!
I think Gaskell's writing is excellent, the dialogue all flows really well, and her characters are mostly well rounded and interesting. The exception for me though is unfortunately Ruth herself! She is a very boring character! She is far too pure and good and perfect. I get why she is written that way but she just isn't very relatable or interesting. My favourite character by far was Sally, the housemaid - She was fantastic!
The narration was exceptional. Matheson is so talented! Really accentuates and compliments the story. She brings the story and the characters to life.
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