elizabeth gaskell wives and daughters summary

She has often urged him to send Molly to stay with her as a sort of companion, but he has never agreed to it, loath to lose his daughter's company. even if he thought that Coxe was suitable husband material for Molly (he doesn't), the young man is in no financial position to support a wife. The doctor deals quickly and firmly with this.

Gibson finds out about Coxe's romantic yearnings when he discovers the young man paying the maid to carry a note to Molly confessing his passion for her. Because of this innocence, she is completely oblivious when her father's apprentice, Mr. This is due to her father's refusal to let her be educated anywhere except at home, and living a quiet life among a very small circle of acquaintances. Seven years later, Molly has grown into a young woman who is attractive and kind, if a bit unworldly and naive. She is upset at the thought that she will have to remain at the Cumnor's estate overnight, intimidated by the family, and is relieved when her father arrives to take her home. Clare puts Molly in her own bed to sleep, promising to wake her in time to go home with her party, but forgets to do so, and Molly is left behind. She is generally referred to as Clare, which was her maiden name.

Kirkpatrick, the Cumnor's former governess who is visiting. While there, Molly wanders off and falls asleep under a tree, where she is found by Lady Cuxhaven, one of the Cumnor's daughters, and Mrs. One day, two local women- Miss Phoebe and Miss Browning- take the young Molly with them on a visit to the local estate of Lord and Lady Cumnor. she loves to trot her pony along next to him as he goes about his rounds, and enjoys his dry, sometimes sarcastic humour. She has a happy childhood, contented with her father's fond, if unsentimental, companionship. Her mother having died when she was a very young child, she is mainly raised by her father, aided by a capable governess. The main character in 'Wives and Daughters' is Molly Gibson, the young daughter of the local doctor.

Elizabeth gaskell wives and daughters summary