Half a Life-time Ago
The novel explores the life of a young woman who returns to her hometown after being away for several years. She had left under scandalous circumstances and is now seeking redemption and forgiveness from those she wronged in the past. Through her journey, the novel examines themes of guilt, shame, and personal growth as the protagonist navigates complex relationships with family and friends.
By Elizabeth Gaskell · First published 1855 · Genre: Drama, Tragedy, Social Commentary · 5 chapters · 20,966 words
First lines
Half a life-time ago, there lived in one of the Westmoreland dales a single woman, of the name of Susan Dixon. She was owner of the small farm-house where she resided, and of some thirty or forty acres of land by which it was surrounded. She had also an hereditary right to a sheep-walk, extending to the wild fells that overhang Blea Tarn. In the language of the country she was a Stateswoman. Her house is yet to be seen on the Oxenfell road, between Skelwith and Coniston. You go along a moorland track, made by the carts that occasionally came for turf from the Oxenfell. A brook babbles and brattles by the wayside, giving you a sense of companionship, which relieves the deep solitude in which this way is usually traversed.
What this Textopian page supports
Half a Life-time Ago is listed on Textopian as a novel by Elizabeth Gaskell, dated 1855 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Elizabeth Gaskell
- Date: 1855 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Drama, Tragedy, Social Commentary, Realism, Victorian Literature
- Length: 20,966 words
- Structure: 5 chapters, 257 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Half a Life-time Ago by Elizabeth Gaskell
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Drama — Focuses on intense emotional and relational conflicts.
- Tragedy — Centers around the downfall and suffering of the protagonist.
- Social Commentary — Addresses social issues and critiques societal norms.
- Realism — Depicts everyday life and ordinary characters in a realistic manner.
Tags
historical fiction · 19th century · British literature · social class · gender roles · family dynamics · romance · identity · memory · nostalgia · moral dilemmas · cultural critique