Cranford
by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
Setting and Narrative Structure
Published in 1853, “Cranford” is set in the fictional small English town of Cranford during the 1840s and 1850s. The story is narrated by Mary Smith, a young woman who visits Cranford regularly from the nearby industrial city of Drumble. Through Mary’s observant and affectionate eyes, we see the lives of Cranford’s predominantly female society, a community of genteel but impoverished ladies trying to maintain their dignity and social customs in a rapidly changing world.
Cranford is a town “in possession of the Amazons” - Gaskell’s playful reference to the mythological tribe of warrior women who lived without men. In Cranford’s case, most of the male inhabitants have died or moved away, leaving behind a society of elderly spinsters and widows who have created their own intricate social rules and hierarchies, ruling their small domain much like the legendary Amazons ruled theirs.
The Jenkyns Sisters
The story’s central figures are the Jenkyns sisters, who represent the backbone of Cranford society. Miss Deborah Jenkyns is the formidable elder sister, a commanding figure who sets the tone for much of Cranford’s social behavior. She’s proud, opinionated, and fiercely protective of propriety and tradition. Her word is law in Cranford society, and she brooks no contradiction of her judgments on matters of etiquette, literature, or morality.
Miss Matilda “Matty” Jenkyns is Deborah’s younger, gentler sister who lives in her shadow. Matty is kind-hearted, somewhat timid, and more flexible in her thinking than her domineering sister. She defers to Deborah in almost everything and seems content to be guided by her stronger personality.
The sisters live together in genteel poverty, maintaining the appearances of their former social status through careful economy and rigid adherence to social forms.
The Death of Deborah and Matty’s Transformation
A pivotal moment in the novel occurs when Miss Deborah Jenkyns dies suddenly, leaving Matty alone for the first time in her life. This event transforms both Matty and the dynamics of Cranford society. Without her sister’s dominating influence, Matty begins to develop her own personality and make her own decisions.
However, Matty’s newfound independence comes with significant challenges. She discovers that their financial situation is far worse than she realized, and she must learn to manage on her own with very limited resources. The other ladies of Cranford rally around her, showing the genuine community spirit that underlies their sometimes petty social concerns.
The Town Bank Crisis
One of the most dramatic events in the story involves the failure of the Town and County Bank, where many of Cranford’s residents, including Matty, have invested their small savings. This financial crisis threatens to destroy the modest security that these genteel ladies have managed to maintain.
The bank’s failure represents the broader economic changes happening in Victorian England, where traditional ways of life and financial security were being undermined by new industrial and commercial developments. For the ladies of Cranford, many of whom have no other source of income, this disaster could mean destitution.
Community Support and Resilience
The bank crisis brings out both the vulnerability and the strength of Cranford’s community. The ladies demonstrate remarkable solidarity, quietly helping each other through practical means while carefully preserving everyone’s dignity. They understand that maintaining face is almost as important as surviving financially.
Mary Smith’s father, who lives in the more prosperous commercial world of Drumble, helps investigate the bank’s affairs and assists in recovering some of the lost funds, showing how the old genteel world of Cranford depends on the new commercial world it sometimes disdains.
The Return of Peter Jenkyns
A major subplot involves the mysterious fate of Peter Jenkyns, Matty and Deborah’s younger brother who disappeared years earlier after a quarrel with their father. Peter had been a source of family shame due to his rebellious nature and eventual estrangement from the family.
As Matty faces her financial difficulties, letters arrive suggesting that Peter is not only alive but has prospered in India. This revelation brings hope for Matty’s future and adds a layer of family drama to the story. The possibility of Peter’s return represents both redemption and the intrusion of the wider world into Cranford’s insular community.
Social Customs and Daily Life
Throughout the novel, Gaskell lovingly depicts the elaborate social customs that govern Cranford life. The ladies have strict rules about visiting hours, appropriate conversation topics, proper dress, and social precedence. These rituals might seem trivial to outsiders, but they provide structure and meaning to lives that might otherwise feel purposeless.
The famous “elegant economy” of Cranford involves maintaining genteel appearances on tiny incomes through various ingenious strategies - wearing gloves to hide worn hands, serving modest refreshments on fine china, and practicing elaborate courtesies that cost nothing but preserve dignity.
Captain Brown and Changing Times
The arrival of Captain Brown and his daughters introduces tension between old and new ways. Captain Brown is a practical, straightforward man who doesn’t observe all of Cranford’s elaborate social niceties. He openly enjoys popular literature (reading Dickens instead of the approved classical authors), speaks plainly about money matters, and generally represents a more modern, less formal approach to life.
His presence initially scandalizes some of the ladies, particularly Miss Deborah, but his essential good nature and kindness gradually win acceptance. His tragic death while trying to save a child demonstrates that genuine worth isn’t measured by adherence to social forms.
The Themes of Change and Continuity
“Cranford” explores the tension between preserving valued traditions and adapting to inevitable change. The ladies of Cranford cling to their social rituals partly from snobbery, but also because these customs represent stability and identity in an uncertain world.
Gaskell shows both the limitations and the strengths of this insular community. While the ladies can be narrow-minded and overly concerned with trivial matters, they also demonstrate genuine care for each other and remarkable resilience in the face of hardship.
The Railroad and Modern World
The coming of the railroad to Cranford symbolizes the broader forces of modernization that threaten the town’s traditional way of life. Some residents fear and resist these changes, while others, like Mary Smith, move easily between the old world of Cranford and the new commercial world of the cities.
Resolution and Community Survival
The novel concludes with the community having weathered its various crises. Peter Jenkyns does return from India, prosperous and repentant, providing security for Matty’s old age. The financial problems are largely resolved, and the social fabric of Cranford, while stretched, remains intact.
Gaskell’s Achievement
“Cranford” works on multiple levels - as a gentle social comedy, a nostalgic portrait of a vanishing way of life, and a serious examination of how communities adapt to change. Gaskell’s tone is simultaneously affectionate and slightly ironic; she clearly loves these characters while also recognizing their limitations.
The novel celebrates the values of kindness, community support, and human dignity while honestly depicting the constraints of rigid social systems. Through Mary Smith’s outsider perspective, Gaskell shows how the apparently trivial concerns of Cranford’s ladies actually represent their efforts to maintain meaning and order in lives that larger society might dismiss as insignificant.
“Cranford” ultimately argues that small communities and seemingly ordinary lives have their own importance and worth, deserving of both respect and gentle humor. The novel’s enduring popularity suggests that Gaskell succeeded in creating a world that feels both historically specific and timelessly human.