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100 Elizabeth Gaskell’s Quotes That Have Lived On Through Ages

Famous As: Novelist
Born On: September 29, 1810
Died On: November 12, 1865
Born In: Chelsea, England
Died At Age: 55

The Athenaeum beautifully describes Elizabeth Gaskell as "If not the most popular, the most powerful and finished female novelist of an epoch singularly rich in female novelists". Gaskell was an accomplished short story author and English novelist of the Victorian era. Motherhood and family obligations kept her busy throughout her life. However, she was deeply saddened by her only son's death. The incident inspired her to write 'Mary Barton', her first novel in 1848. The novel attracted immense popularity and critical attention from renowned writers like Thomas Carlyle and Charles Dickens. Elizabeth Gaskell is best known for "The life of Charlotte Bronte" (1857), a biography that was written with dedication and admiration. It expressed Gaskell's impressive narrative skills and the way she penned down firsthand facts in great details. Dickens invited her to write in his personal magazine 'Household Words'. Thereafter, she established herself as a renowned writer with 'Cranford' in 1853. Her notable works include 'North and South' (1854), 'Sylvia's Lover' (1863) and the 'Cranford Chronicles' (1881). Her novels magnificently portrayed the lives of individuals from different social strata, mainly the poor. Elizabeth Gaskell also focused on literature lovers and social historians and gave a detailed description of their ideologies. Unfortunately, her life's longest novel 'Wives and Daughters' was left incomplete with her death. Elizabeth Gaskell’s words have lived on through ages. We have curated some of her famous quotes from her writings and life. Here are some of her wise quotes to show why her words have lived through ages.

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Sometimes one likes foolish people for their folly, better than wise people for their wisdom.

Sometimes one likes foolish people for their folly, better than wise people for their wisdom.

Elizabeth Gaskell
How easy it is to judge rightly after one sees what evil comes from judging wrongly.

How easy it is to judge rightly after one sees what evil comes from judging wrongly.

Elizabeth Gaskell
I know you despise me; allow me to say, it is because you don't understand me.

I know you despise me; allow me to say, it is because you don't understand me.

Elizabeth Gaskell
Margaret was not a ready lover, but where she loved she loved passionately, and with no small degree of jealousy.

Margaret was not a ready lover, but where she loved she loved passionately, and with no small degree of jealousy.

Elizabeth Gaskell
Oh, Mr. Thornton, I am not good enough!'

'Not good enough! Don't mock my own deep feeling of unworthiness.

Oh, Mr. Thornton, I am not good enough!' 'Not good enough! Don't mock my own deep feeling of unworthiness.

Elizabeth Gaskell
There is nothing like wounded affection for giving poignancy to anger.

There is nothing like wounded affection for giving poignancy to anger.

Elizabeth Gaskell
A wise parent humors the desire for independent action, so as to become the friend and advisor when his absolute rule shall cease.

A wise parent humors the desire for independent action, so as to become the friend and advisor when his absolute rule shall cease.

Elizabeth Gaskell
He shrank from hearing Margaret's very name mentioned; he, while he blamed her--while he was jealous of her--while he renounced her--he loved her sorely, in spite of himself.

He shrank from hearing Margaret's very name mentioned; he, while he blamed her--while he was jealous of her--while he renounced her--he loved her sorely, in spite of himself.

Elizabeth Gaskell
He shook hands with Margaret. He knew it was the first time their hands had met, though she was perfectly unconscious of the fact.

He shook hands with Margaret. He knew it was the first time their hands had met, though she was perfectly unconscious of the fact.

Elizabeth Gaskell
I'll not listen to reason... reason always means what someone else has got to say.

I'll not listen to reason... reason always means what someone else has got to say.

Elizabeth Gaskell
But the future must be met, however stern and iron it be.

But the future must be met, however stern and iron it be.

Elizabeth Gaskell
But the cloud never comes in that quarter of the horizon
from which we watch for it.

But the cloud never comes in that quarter of the horizon from which we watch for it.

Elizabeth Gaskell
I wanted to see the place where Margaret grew to what she is, even at the worst time of all, when I had no hope of ever calling her mine...

I wanted to see the place where Margaret grew to what she is, even at the worst time of all, when I had no hope of ever calling her mine...

Elizabeth Gaskell
I dare not hope. I never was fainthearted before; but I cannot believe such a creature cares for me.

I dare not hope. I never was fainthearted before; but I cannot believe such a creature cares for me.

Elizabeth Gaskell
I won't say she was silly, but I think one of us was silly, and it wasn't me!

I won't say she was silly, but I think one of us was silly, and it wasn't me!

Elizabeth Gaskell
Thinking has, many a time, made me sad, darling; but doing never did in all my life....My precept is, do something, my sister, do good if you can; but at any rate, do something.

Thinking has, many a time, made me sad, darling; but doing never did in all my life....My precept is, do something, my sister, do good if you can; but at any rate, do something.

Elizabeth Gaskell
Those who are happy and successful themselves are too apt to make light of the misfortunes of others.

Those who are happy and successful themselves are too apt to make light of the misfortunes of others.

Elizabeth Gaskell
Loyalty and obedience to wisdom and justice are fine; but it is still finer to defy arbitrary power, unjustly and cruelly used--not on behalf of ourselves, but on behalf of others more helpless.

Loyalty and obedience to wisdom and justice are fine; but it is still finer to defy arbitrary power, unjustly and cruelly used--not on behalf of ourselves, but on behalf of others more helpless.

Elizabeth Gaskell
Take care. -If you do not speak- I shall claim you as my own in some presumptuous way. -Send me away at once, if I must go; -Margaret!-

Take care. -If you do not speak- I shall claim you as my own in some presumptuous way. -Send me away at once, if I must go; -Margaret!-

Elizabeth Gaskell
He loved her, and would love her; and defy her, and this miserable bodily pain.

He loved her, and would love her; and defy her, and this miserable bodily pain.

Elizabeth Gaskell
Come! Poor little heart! Be cheery and brave. We'll be a great deal to one another, if we are thrown off and left desolate.

Come! Poor little heart! Be cheery and brave. We'll be a great deal to one another, if we are thrown off and left desolate.

Elizabeth Gaskell
Out of the way! We are in the throes of an exceptional emergency! This is no occassion for sport- there is lace at stake!

Out of the way! We are in the throes of an exceptional emergency! This is no occassion for sport- there is lace at stake!" (Ms. Pole)

Elizabeth Gaskell
As she realized what might have been, she grew to be thankful for what was.

As she realized what might have been, she grew to be thankful for what was.

Elizabeth Gaskell
A girl in love will do a good deal.

A girl in love will do a good deal.

Elizabeth Gaskell
The French girls would tell you, to believe that you were pretty would make you so.

The French girls would tell you, to believe that you were pretty would make you so.

Elizabeth Gaskell
He is my first olive: let me make a face while I swallow it.

He is my first olive: let me make a face while I swallow it.

Elizabeth Gaskell
No one loves me, - no one cares for me, but you, mother.

No one loves me, - no one cares for me, but you, mother.

Elizabeth Gaskell
Oh, I can't describe my home. It is home, and I can't put its charm into words

Oh, I can't describe my home. It is home, and I can't put its charm into words

Elizabeth Gaskell
Oh, my Margaret--my Margaret! no one can tell what you are to me! Dead--cold as you lie there you are the only woman I ever loved! Oh, Margaret--Margaret!

Oh, my Margaret--my Margaret! no one can tell what you are to me! Dead--cold as you lie there you are the only woman I ever loved! Oh, Margaret--Margaret!

Elizabeth Gaskell
Wearily she went to bed, wearily she arose in four or five hours' time. But with the morning came hope, and a brighter view of things.

Wearily she went to bed, wearily she arose in four or five hours' time. But with the morning came hope, and a brighter view of things.

Elizabeth Gaskell