Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (1810-1865) was an English author who wrote biographies, short stories, and novels. Because her work often depicted the lives of Victorian society, including the individual effects of the Industrial Revolution, Gaskell has impacted the fields of both literature and history. While Gaskell is now a revered author, she was criticized and overlooked during her lifetime, dismissed by other authors and critics because of her gender. However, after her death, Gaskell earned a respected legacy and is credited to have paved the way for feminist movements.

Disadvantaged and disenfranchised, a young woman named Ruth works to redeem her reputation after being corrupted and tricked by a womanizer. Set in England during the Victorian era, Ruth by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell is a moving narrative that reveals the harmful double standards and sexism of the Victorian social norms.