Practices of Protectiveness in Elizabeth Gaskell’s Cranford

The article analyzes the theme of protectiveness in Elizabeth Gaskell's novel Cranford.A close reading of several episodes focuses on the examination of different forms and functions of protective gestures that belong in the provincial community.Some of them are discrete and selfless expressions of female kindness and considerateness, aiming to protect the dignity or comfort of a distraught individual.Others, where the protective action is collectively undertaken, turn out to be informed by social significance.While they entail kind concern for an individual in need, they also have in view the need of the community and serve as a means of securing its cohesion.