Abstract：Elizabeth Gaskell, a realist female writer of the nineteenth century in the United Kingdom, is described by Marx as the great distinguished novelist of the Modern School. She is a pioneer in the study of social issues in Victoria era. Her work shows the transformation of Great Britain and the social situation. North and South is a novel written by Lady Gaskell in 1855. It is her last work on social issues and the industrial themes in her creative career which perfectly explains her humanistic thoughts.

Since the publication of the novel, it has attracted the attention of critics immediately. So far,  researchers at home and abroad have studied the novel from various angles, such as class relations, religious influences, ecological awareness, spatial theory and feminist perspectives. On the basis of previous researches, this thesis will analyze it from the perspective of binary opposition, exploring the multiple conflicts in the novel, and how the conflicts are reduced to harmony eventually.

The first part of the thesis introduces the author and her works, and makes a literature review of the novel. The second part introduces the basic thesis and its application in literary criticism. The next two chapters is the main body. The third chapter analyzes the conflicts in North and South, including conflicts between modernity and tradition, between the rich and the poor, and between genders. The fourth chapter focuses on the reconciliation and harmony of the conflicting factors. The last part is a summary and restates Mrs. Gaskell’s perception of dualistic opposition.

Key words: Elizabeth Gaskell  Binary Opposition  Conflict  Harmony

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Introduction to Elizabeth Gaskell-1

1.2 Introduction to North and South2

1.3 Literature Review-2

Chapter Two Binary Opposition4

2.1 Brief Introduction to Binary Opposition-4    

2.2 Binary Opposition and Literary Criticim.5

Chapter Three Binary Oppositions Embodied in North and South6

3.1 Binary Opposition between Modernity and Tradition.6

  3.1.1 North Representing Modernity-6

      3.1.2 South Representing Tradition.7

3.2 Binary Opposition between the Rich and the Poor.-8

      3.2.1 The Rich as the Oppressor8

      3.2.2 The Poor as the Oppressed9

   3.3 Binary Opposition between Men and Women.9

      3.3.1 The Dominant Men.10

      3.3.2 The Subordinate Women.11

Chapter Four Reconciliation of Oppositions in North and South12

   4.1 Harmony between Modernity and Tradition12

   4.2 Unification of the Rich and the Poor.13

   4.3 Assimilation of Men and Women14 

Chapter Five Conclusion-15

References-16