Mary Barton (Oxford World’s Classics) by Elizabeth Gaskell is set in Manchester during the 1840s and explores the impact of economic and physical hardship on the city’s working-class community. The narrative intertwines personal struggles with broader social issues, focusing on the relationship between employers and employees, the plight of the poor, and their violent reaction to perceived injustice. Central to the plot is Mary Barton herself—a factory worker’s daughter who falls in love with the son of a mill owner. Her complex feelings become entangled when a brutal murder forces her to confront her loyalties and true affections.

This new edition includes the last version supervised by Gaskell herself, offering readers an authentic representation of her work. The introduction provides valuable historical and biographical context, alongside a survey of critical responses to Mary Barton. It emphasizes Gaskell’s primary interest in communication as a means to reconcile divisions within society. Additional features include an updated critical biography, revised notes, and appendixes that feature Gaskell’s rough draft and outline for the novel’s conclusion.