Synopsis of Mary Patton

The story takes place in Manchester, the British cotton spinning center in the 19th century, during a period of economic depression in Britain, when cotton cloth was slow to sell, factories were out of production, and a large number of workers were unemployed.

John Barton, an old cotton mill worker, toiled a lifetime for the factory owner and is still struggling on the poverty line. His son was killed by scarlet fever due to poor living conditions. The wife, who was so stimulated by her sister's abduction by wealthy people to become a prostitute, was insane and died in pain during a labor.

In his painful life, John Barton gradually recognized the exploitative nature of the capitalists, he actively participated in the workers' petitions and strike struggles, became an active member of the Charterist workers' movement, was elected by the workers as a representative, went to London to petition parliament, and was rejected by the British Parliament, the petition failed, and John was dismissed.

At this time, the workers went on strike under the leadership of the union, and the factory owners refused to accept the workers' minimum demands, and finally John Patton killed the factory owner's son, Harry Carson, with hatred.

John Barton's daughter Mary Barton is beautiful and intelligent, forced by life to enter the fashion store as an apprentice, but she is naïve and naïve, and loves vanity. She thinks she is beautiful and fantasizes about being Mrs. Kuo of a big family in the future.

Jem Wilson, a skilled mechanic, liked Mary very much and confided in her that he wanted to propose to her, but Mary refused.

Mary likes the factory owner's son, Harry Carson, but he just wants to covet Mary's beauty, and Mary regrets all this.

Due to Carson's sudden death, Jem is believed to be the murderer of the love killer and is arrested.

With the help of her relatives and friends, Mary finally washed away Jem's suspicions on the trial bench.

At this time, John Button voluntarily surrendered himself and apologized to the boss, who forgave John.

At the end of the night, John Barton died with his eyes closed.

Eventually, Mary Barton and Jem Wilson married and went abroad to Canada together.

Mary Barton is a representative work of the British writer Mrs. Gaskell (1810-1865). She wrote six novels during her lifetime, and her main artistic achievement was to successfully shape different types of workers, truly reflecting the life and struggles of the British working class in the 1840s, and was an outstanding realist writer.