"North and South" is a social novel by Elizabeth Gaskell that follows Margaret Hale, a young woman forced to leave her tranquil life in the south and settle in the fictional industrial town of Milton in the north of England. Set during the Industrial Revolution, the novel explores the complex and often brutal world of labour relations between mill owners and workers, with Margaret Hale sympathising with the poor while clashing with John Thornton, a nouveau riche cotton mill owner. The novel provides insightful commentary on social and economic issues.
