Young orphan Ruth Hilton catches the eye of a dishonest and unscrupulous man, and when Ruth falls on hard times she is forced to turn to him for comfort and support. When he cruelly deserts her, Ruth must begin a new life, but she carries with her the secret and shame of an illegitimate child which will lead to her ruin if discovered. A controversial topic during the Victorian era, in 'Ruth' Elizabeth Gaskell dealt sensitively and sympathetically with the topic of illegitimacy and sin – confronting the harsh views and treatment of a 'fallen woman' at the time. With similar themes, fans of Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter' and Thomas Hardy's 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles' will enjoy this popular classic by Elizabeth Gaskell. -