Ruth (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Elizabeth Cleghorn Stevenson
- First Published: 1853
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Moral
- Time of Work: Approximately the 1830’s
- Setting: England and Wales
- Genres: Long fiction, Historical fiction
- Subjects: Class conflict, Sex or sexuality, Nineteenth century, Alienation, England or English people, Illegitimacy, Working class, Ethics, Gossip, Great Britain
- Locales: England, Wales
Characters Discussed
Ruth Hilton, later called Mrs. Denbigh, who as a girl of sixteen is on her own, working long hours in a seamstress’s shop with many other girls. With no living family, she is often lonely. Her life changes for the worse when she meets Mr. Bellingham, a young noble. He eventually lures her off to London and North Wales, and she becomes pregnant. When he becomes ill in Wales, his mother comes to nurse him and sends Ruth away. Her rescue by Mr. Benson takes her to Eccleston and a life as Mrs. Denby, a model “widow” and loving mother. She works as the...
[The entire page is 1105 words long]
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