Set in a coastal English town during the early phases of the Napoleonic
Wars in the 1790s, Sylvia's Lovers follows the complicated love life
of a young woman. Sylvia Robson lives a very happy life with her parents
on a farm. Her cousin, a kind but dull Quaker man named Philip, loves
her dearly, but Sylvia's heart is captured by a handsome sailor named
Charlie. As they grow closer, Charlie and Sylvia become secretly
engaged. However, when Charlie is forced into enlisting in the Navy, he
tells Philip, who witnesses the event, about their engagement and asks
him to give Sylvia a message. Jealous and heartbroken, Philip decides
not to tell Sylvia what happened. After a while, Sylvia assumes that
Charlie's abrupt disappearance must mean that he had died. Filled with
sorrow, Philip helps Sylvia through her mourning. Thankful for his
support, Sylvia decides to marry Philip and together they have a
daughter. They live a happy life together until the inevitable
happens--Charlie returns. After hearing Charlie's story, Sylvia is
enraged and rejects Philip, kicking him out of their house. He becomes
desperate to redeem himself, though Sylvia is deeply hurt by the
manipulation and betrayal, feeling unable to forgive him. However, as
she reunites with Charlie, entertaining the idea of the two living their
life together as planned, something feels off. Realizing that both she
and Charlie have changed, Sylvia is conflicted as her choices each feel
wrong in different ways. As the Napoleonic wars rage on, tensions grow
as Sylvia tries to decide between her lovers.
Featuring beautiful and dramatic prose, Sylvia's Lovers by Elizabeth
Cleghorn Gaskell is a powerful and moving piece of literature. Though it
is lesser known than some of her other work, Gaskell's mastery shines
through with the novel's incredible heart and interesting and authentic
depictions of working-class characters. With themes of love and
sacrifice, Sylvia's Lovers continues to reach even modern-day
audiences.
This edition of Sylvia's Lovers by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell is now
presented in an easy-to-read font and features a striking new cover
design. With these accommodations, modern audiences are provided a
lavish and accessible reading experience.
