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Chapter 60
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Wives and Daughters, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Friendship
Class, Status, and Romance
Independence, Opportunities, and Gender
Challenges, Growth, and Community
Gossip and Rumors
Summary
Analysis
Mr. Henderson and Cynthia visit Hollingford. While visiting, Mr. Henderson is surprised to find that the Gibson family knows the famous explorer, Roger Hamley. While Roger continues his travels, his newfound love for Molly thoroughly replaces his previous love for Cynthia. When Roger returns, he initially worries again that Molly will consider him a fickle person for switching his affection from Cynthia to her as rapidly as he has. As a result, Roger struggles to declare his love for her. However, he then remembers the rose Molly gave him from the bouquet and is able to tell her his true feelings. Roger and Molly then marry, and if either of them is happier than the other, it is Molly.
Elizabeth Gaskell died suddenly before completing the novel, which was in the process of being published serially in The Cornhill Magazine. The editor of the magazine, Frederick Greenwood, wrote this last chapter based on what Gaskell told him about how the story would progress. This explains the novel’s rather abrupt ending. Notably, Molly receives the happy ending that she has always wanted, and the symbolism of the flower—particularly the rose—continues to the end and symbolizes the romantic love that Roger and Molly share.
Active
Themes
