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Cousin Phillis

‘“I loved him, father!” she said at length, raising her eyes.’ Cousin Phillis by Elizabeth Gaskell, 1863-64

Cousin Phillis is the perfect length – somewhere between a short story and a novel – and a precursor to Elizabeth Gaskell’s masterpiece Wives and Daughters. It tells a coming of age story as Phillis, only daughter of a farming couple, meets and slowly falls in love with railway engineer Edward Holdsworth in Victorian England.

What’s the Story?

The title character is only 17 years old when the story starts. She is clever, attractive, innocent, and over-protected. Her parents do not recognise her burgeoning sexuality, nor the emotional turmoil that Holdsworth’s arrival brings.

The story is narrated by Phillis’ cousin, Paul Manning, who works with Holdsworth on the building of the new railway in Cheshire in the 1840s. Both men visit Phillis’ family at the farm, a kind of rural idyll hidden from the real world.

And the context?

The tale is beautifully written and explores Phillis’ inner life and emotional development. It also looks at themes like women’s education and the control of men.

There are no happy endings when Holdsworth leaves suddenly for a job in Canada promising to return. A letter declaring his marriage overseas causes Phillis to become ill of a brain fever and her parents finally recognise their daughter is a grown woman. What will become of Cousin Phyllis now?

The story is a huge achievement, showcasing Elizabeth Gaskell’s mastery over a new format – the novella.

Fancy some new Autumn reading? Find your copy in the museum shop via this link here.